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BY THE RT. REV. 

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BISHOP OF VERMONT. 



PRINTED FOR THE FAMILY, 

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LD age at length has come, but firm and 
hale, 
Although my seventy years have long 
been passed, 
As yet the senses do not seem to fail, 
And may, perhaps, for future service last. 

Time has impressed no furrows on my brow, 
Dark hair still lingers midst the locks of gray. 
The upright form has not begun to bow, 
Nor do my steps the want of strength betray. 

The eye can yet the midnight page explore, 
Music its pleasure to the ear can bring. 
The hand can paint from Nature, as of yore, 
And strike in harmony the tuneful string. 

The powers of speech, articulate and clear, 
With voice of youthful vigor yet remain ; 
Nor do the mental faculties appear 
To lose their mastery o'er the subject brain. 
1 



2 INTRODUCTION. 

The memory, faithful to a fair degree, 
Imagination, prompt and active still. 
And judgment, trained so long the truth to see, 
Are all obedient to the sovereign will. 

But more than these, the heart — affection's 

shrine — 
Can yet the warmth of pure emotion prove. 
Reflect the glory of the law divine, 
And feel the force of sympathy and love. 

And when the round of circumstance I view, 
How dear the prospect to the grateful soul ! 
A family so large, so fond and true, 
With not one worthless member in the whole ! 

The precious wife of youth, so kindly spared 
To bless my age, in vigor like my own ; — 
A numerous band of children, all prepared 
To bow in worship at the Saviour's throne ; 

With talent and with energy endued. 
By Christian education well refined. 
Devoted to the useful and the good. 
And fairly formed in body and in mind ; — 

Grandchildren too, of various ages, rise. 
Some haply married, some in nurses' arms ; 



INTRODUCTION. 3 

And great-grandchildren glad my aged eyes 
With the pure beauty of their infant charms ! 

What monarch can more precious wealth survey ? 
What mortal lot more favored can be found ? 
What brighter blessings can the world display ? 
What better gifts declining years surround ? 

And when to these I add the special grant 
Of highest office in the Church below ; 
The kind supply of every moderate want; 
The smile of welcome wheresoe'er I go ; 

The fair success of authorship ; the voice 
Of warm affection and of partial praise : 
How should my heart with gratitude rejoice 
In all the goodness which has marked my days ! 

To Christ, the glorious Lord of light and life, 
My poor acknowledgments alone are due ; 
For He has led me through temptation's strife, 
The path of truth and duty to pursue. 

Some trials, toils, and sorrows I have known, 
Some labors which the world might call severe ; 
False lights to error sometimes lured me on : 
But still His guardian Providence was there ! 



4 INTRODUCTION. 

A sinner like tile rest, in thought and deed, 
No merit of my own can I proclaim ; 
His grace alone has caused me to succeed ; 
Let all the praise be to His holy Name ! 



And now, by filial urgency impelled, 

I leave this record of my life behind. 

To mark the changes which those years beheld, 

From youth to age, with fair and candid mind. 

Though but an outline, drawn in homely rhyme, 
It may the value of Religion prove. 
To be, in every circumstance and time, 
The only guide to comfort, peace, and love. 



't^ 





LOVELY city, known to fame, 
Of Dublin bears the ancient name ; 
Where Manhood's strength and Beauty's 
smile 
Claim honor for the Emerald Isle, 
The fair Hibernia ! from whose strand 
A stalwart race to every land 
Has gone, its vigor to impart, 
With ready hand and generous heart. 

'T was there my earliest breath I drew, 
In seventeen hundred ninety-two ; 
When January's wintry sway 
Had entered on its thirtieth day. 



My father was to commerce bred ; 
But fortune never raised his head 
Above the crowd who toil in vain. 
The prize of affluence to obtain. 
My mother had a form and face 
Endowed with far superior grace, 



MY PARENTS. 

"WTiile talents of no common kind 
Shone brightly in her active mind. 
Both were quite musical, and made 
A fair duet ; the flute was played 
With the piano. In those days 
Pleyel enjoyed the general praise ; 
Though Haydn and Mozart could claim 
A higher and more lasting fame. 
But I remember well the power 
Of those sweet sounds, as, many an hour, 
I proved the charm of Music's sway, 
While I upon the carpet lay, 
And felt, entranced, their tuneful art 
Sink deep into my childish heart ! 
No other fruit their union graced. 
My mother her affections placed 
On me, her only offspring. She 
Resolved that all her powers should be 
Devoted to the precious task 
Of my instruction. None could ask 
A better teacher. Sooth to say. 
Her labor was not thrown away. 
'T was said by all that I possessed 
Her features, and a mind impressed 
With the same gifts and talents rare, 
Which made her toil a pleasing care. 
To some extent 't was doubtless true : 
But it is certain that I drew 



CHILDHOOD. 7 

From her instruction all the skill 
Which forms the thought and guides the will, 
So far as knowledge can be given 
"Without the special light of Heaven. 

She led me through the usual round 
Of English schools. The classic ground 
Of Shakspeare, Dryden, Pope, was spread 
Before my eight-years' age was sped. 
In music, Haydn's Symphonies 
I learned to execute with ease ; 
And drawing-lessons did their part 
To train the eye and hand for art ; 
While French was drilled into my tongue, 
Because 't was flexible and young. 

This was precocious, yet it came 
With little effort and no blame. 
A solitary child — alone — 
Amongst my elders I was thrown. 
I had no brother to employ 
My hours in boyish sport and joy : 
My chief companion through the day 
Was my own mother. All the play 
With ball, and top, and hoop, and kite. 
Could give my spirits no delight 
Without associates. Hence I took 
My favorite pleasure in my book ; 



CHILDHOOD. ^ 



As soon as I could learn to read, 

The habit grew my mind to feed 

On stories, pictures, music, till 

The thirst for knowledge ruled my will ; 

While tales of love, romance, and crime 

Made me feel old before my time. 

All childish books beyond my reach, 

And rarely hearing childish speech. 

My boyish intellect became 

Too thoughtful for my growing frame. 

My mother had no need to press 
My studies. 'T was my happiness 
To meet the labors of the way, 
And make advances day by day. 
The toil which other children viewed 
With strong dislike, to me seemed good. 
Apd thus I gained, in early life. 
Without compulsion, care, or strife, 
That mastery o'er each mental power. 
Which aids me to the present hour. 

My parents both maintained their claim 
To the Established Church, in name ; 
And I was brought, with formal care. 
To have my infant Baptism there. 
But piety had little part. 
That I could see, in either heart. 



EMIGRATION. 9 

Their course was guided by the rule 

Laid down in worldly custom's school ; 

Though late in life they learned to prove 

The value of their Saviour's love» 

My childhood's thoughts towards heaven to guide, 

The grandmother their place supplied. 

Fondly she pointed out the way, 

And taught my youthful lips to pray. 

Thanks be to God ! the light thus gained 

Through all my earthly course remained, 

And held a pure and strong control 

O'er the worst perils of the soul. 

But now, when my eighth year had passed. 

My father deemed it wise to cast 

His lot on that far distant shore, 

Where, during several years before, 

An elder brother, with his wife. 

Had chosen to spend their future life. 

In August, eighteen hundredth year. 
We saw with joy New York appear ; 
And thence we passed, with brief delay. 
Where Philadelphia's city lay. 
My uncle there had fixed his home. 
In hope of prosperous days to come. 
But lavish hand and kindly heart 
With prudence had so little part, 



10 Mr MOTHERS SCHOOL. 

TTiat neither wealth nor honors came 
To dignify his humble name. 

The money which my father brought 

Was soon expended. Then he sought 

Some occupation to obtain, 

And found his efforts all in vain. 

Thus disappointed in his course, 

My mother was his last resource. 

Well fitted, with accomplished mind, 

And manner polished and refined. 

She oped at once a ladies' school. 

The formal round of stated rule 

Was not her forte, but for the rest 

Her adaptation was confessed. 

Few with such talents could be found ; 

She had been trained on maxims sound : 

Despising all pretence and show, 

Her pupils learned the truth to know. i 

Their whole deportment she could mould, I 

And all their faculties unfold. 

Till old and young combined to raise 

A cordial tribute to her praise. 

'T was not the fashion of that day 
For female knowledge to display 
A competition with the plan 
Adopted for the mind of man. 



I 



TEE ACADEMY. 11 

No mathematics were desired, 
No Latin and no Greek required ; 
Nor were the College honors sought, 
To crown the girlish powers of thought. 

I doubt the wisdom of the change 
Which thrusts our females on a range 
Of studies so severe and dry. 
Their time 't were better to apply 
In reading history, travels, poems, 
From well-established standard tomes ; 
And learning every gentle art 
Which gilds the home and cheers the heart. 



o 



My mother's school was not the place 

Where I could run the classic race ; 

And though reluctant, I was sent, 

With all my mind on knowledge bent. 

To an academy of boys, — 

A scene quite new ! At first their noise. 

Their boisterous play, and words impure 

Were more than I could well endure. 

But though by habit reconciled, 

And by example oft beguiled, 

My conscience still had frequent sway. 

And led me, when alone, to pray. 

That He who marked each passing hour 

Would guard me by His mighty power. 



12 CLASSIC STUDIES. 

The master of this classic school 

Made an exception to his rule 

In certain favors which, to me, 

Were proofs of partiality. 

He had a library well stocked. 

And, for the most part, closely locked : 

But to my hands the key he gave. 

And thus enabled me to save 

The hours my youthful schoolmates spent 

In idle sports and merriment. 

To his piano my access 

Was also free. The game of chess 

He taught to me and to his son, 

AYhose boyish friendship I had won : 

And so, without a tear or sigh. 

Three years from home passed quickly by, 

My studies were an easy task. 

Nor could my partial teachers ask 

A pupil whose improvement di-ew 

More praise in all he had to do. 

Those were the days when Latin claimed 

A round of toil now rarely named. 

The Grammar mastered in each part — 

Its forms and rules well learned by heart - 

^' Cordery's Colloquies " came next. 

And then Cornelius Xepos' text. 

" Erasmus' Dialogues " their place 



ii 



LATIN. 13 

Assumed, with wit and humorous grace : 

Selections, from historians drawn, 

Next led the youthful student on, 

By just gradations, to engage 

The harder themes of Cassar's page, 

Sallust and Cicero. The range 

Of study then commenced a change 

To classic poets. Ovid came, 

Yirgil and Horace ; while the name 

Of Tacitus, in portions meet. 

And Livy, made our course complete. 

But the main feature of the plan, 
Which still through all this reading ran, 
"Was writing exercises. There, 
The pupil's work was most severe, 
And most effective. In the mass 
Of recitation by the class, 
The small display which each could make 
Might 'scape detection of mistake. 
While writing Latin plainly showed 
His true position on the road 
Of classic learning, and displayed 
The actual progress he had made. 

The thorough strictness of that day, 

If not entirely passed away. 

Is rarely found in modern schools. 



14 USE OF THE CLASSICS. 

And yet 't is clear, that, by those rules. 
The mind was trained to use its powers 
With great effect. The studious hours, 
Bestowed upon a language dead, 
Demand a cool reflecting head. 
The laws of grammar to descry, 
Its rules minutely to apply. 
And give a reason for each word 
Employed the meaning to record. 
The judgtneiit thus acquires, at length, 
A high decree of force and streno-th ; 

DO D ' 

The hahit of research and thought 

Is to its best condition brought ; 

The power of application gains 

A mastery which through life remains ; 

And, through this discipline of youth. 

Prepares the man to seek for truth. 

He learns to think, and that once known, 

The most important task is done. 



The gi'eat result which boys attain 

By classic lore, is not the gain 

Of the mere language, which no more 

Is used by scholars, as before. 

In speech and letters ; though its force 

Is felt throughout the student's course. 

In all the intellectual range 

Of learning, spite of time or change. 



\ 



USE OF THE CLASSICS. 15 

Nor is it in the facts acquired 
From Roman authors, so admired : 
Since they are all translated well, 
And may their tales in English tell. 
But 't is the discipline of mind 
In which its greatest use we find ; 
And in this aspect of the case. 
It claims a high peculiar place. 

Yet this most just and worthy praise 
Is seldom due in modern days, 
Since the old discipline has lost 
Its vigor, to the pupil's cost ; 
For now a labor-saving mode 
Of hasty progress takes the road, 
Content with superficial show 
Substantial learning to forego, 
And thus contriving, by its plan, 
To please the boy, and spoil the man. 





Canto ^econD. 




T Bordentown, a village fair, 
Upon the River Delaware, 
My years of Latin studies passed 
But as my kind preceptor cast 
His library before my sight, 
It was my pleasure and delight 
To spend my free and vacant hours. 
With all my fresh and youthful powers, 
In reading through the varied round 
Of English books which there I found. 
The British Drama, all complete, 
The Poets, lords of Fancy's seat, 
The best Historians, works on Art 
And Medicine, formed the greater part. 
For novels there was little room ; 
Their palmy days had yet to come. 
But Fielding, Smollett, and tbe fair 
Burney and Radcliffe, all were there ; 
Cervantes and the " Arabian Nights," 
In which the boyish taste delights, 
"With many others. Through the mass 



SCHOOL LIFE. 17 

I made my leisure time to pass, 
And thus contrived a larger gain 
Of general reading to attain, 
Than I have ever known belong 
To any at an age so young. 

And yet I do not mean to say 
That I was never found at play. 
When school was out, I daily went 
To take a share in merriment. 
And learned the average show of skill 
In boyish games, with right good will. 
But little time in this employ 
Was spent. It gave no solid joy. 
My thoughts on other subjects ran. 
More fitted to the mind of man. 
I loved to be alone with books, 
And often wandered by the brooks 
Which wound their mazy, babbling way 
To where the noble river lay; 
Yet still alone with Nature's face. 
Marking its beauty and its grace : — 
The waves which on their courses run, 
Sparkling like diamonds in the sun ; 
The clouds which, morn and eve, unfold 
The hues of crimson and of gold ; 
The wild-flowers in their drapery meet. 
Which sprang so freshly round my feet ; 
2 



3 DANCING AND FENCING. 

The varied foliage of the trees ; 

The birds that carolled at their ease ; — 

Unwitting that the day would come 

When railways there should make their home, 

And all the charming scene, wdiich quite 

Entranced, at times, my gazing sight, 

Should be invaded by the band 

Which Commerce sends throughout the land, — 

Friend to its business and its wealth, 

But foe, full oft, to peace and health, — 

Friend to its progress, power, and art. 

But foe to thoughts which fill the heart, 

Inspiring, by their high control. 

The loftier visions of the soul ! 



But now another change drew nigh. 
My mother, with a careful eye 
To the completion of her plan. 
In all that fits the gentleman. 
Sent me to Princeton, to reside 
With a French refugee, whose pride 
Of old nobility, 't was said, 
Was forced to stoop and earn his bread 
By giving lessons to a few 
In dancino- and in fencino^ too. 
These arts for me she much desired, 
By polished Europe so admired. 
Besides, the pure Parisian speech 



FRENCH. 19 

He was well qualified to teach ; 

And thus my knowledge of that tongue 

Would be secured while I was young. 

In this French family I spent 

Almost a year, with mind intent 

On making progress, day by day. 

In all that now before me lay. 

I danced and fenced with easy skill, 

But books were all my favorites still. 

Of these my teacher seldom thought ; 

No library could there be sought, 

Yet some stray volumes were by chance 

Preserved, when he arrived from France. 

Rousseau, Marmontel, and Moliere, 

"With Voltaire's works, in part, were there. 

Of these I mastered all I could. 

And found them yield more harm than good. 

Save in the thorough knowledge gained 

Of French, which has through life remained, 

And done some service, when my mind 

Became to better works inclined. 

My mother's school had prospered been 
In Trenton. But a different scene 
Was now to open, when she moved 
To Philadelphia. There I proved 
Of some assistance in the art 



20 PHILADELPHIA. 

Which drawing-lessons best impart, 
By making patterns for her class. 
But still I ceased not to amass 
My fund of learning. Every day 
Some teacher led my onward way. 
In mathematics and in Greek 
My knowledge I had yet to seek ; 
And these I studied, though with less 
Of zeal, but yet with fail' success. 
In music, too, advance was made. 
The violin with ease I played, 
Enough at least my part to bear 
In concerts, where a certain share 
Of harmony is needed still, 
Without a marked display of skill. 

About this time, a partial friend. 
Who loved his evening hours to spend 
In music, thought that there should be 
An Amateur Society, 
In whose performance might appear 
Sufficient art to please the ear, 
With good Quartets, and, by degrees. 
With some of Haydn's Symphonies. 

The plan succeeded, and we came, 
Our Constitution's rules to frame. 
Flutes, violins, and clarionets, 



THE BASS VIOL. 21 

Tenors, bassoons, and flageolets 

Were represented, and a brace 

Of good French horns were in their place ; 

But no bass viol ! What to do, 

In this dilemma, no one knew, 

Until I undertook to try 

If I could not the want supply. 

I hired an instrument, and took 

A master and instruction-book. 

Without delay. And when the hour 

Arrived for our first notes of power. 

The month allotted to prepare 

Was found sufficient. All were there, 

And my debut was not the least 

In the enjoyment of our feast. 

Success inspired me with good will 

To practise with industrious skill ; 

And in those concerts many a night 

Was passed with genuine delight : 

Nor have I yet forgot the art 

With which I played that youthful part. 

But our Society had few. 
Save Frenchmen, whom by name I knew. 
My French and music both combined 
To make them feel at once inclined 
Towards more companionship with me 



22 SOCIETY. 

Than suited with morality. 
Loose and licentious in their talk, 
I was compelled their zeal to balk ; 
And only saw their faces when 
The concert-night come round again. 

Haply for me, my mother's school 
Had brought me under better rule. 
Her pupils' families embraced 
A circle by refinement graced ; 
The sisters and the brothers there 
Gave me a kind and cordial share 
Of friendly welcome. I was led 
To go to church, for they were bred 
Episcopalians. Bishop White, 
At old St. Peter's, met my sight ; 
And his assistant, with whose son 
An intimacy soon begun. 
Thus I was placed within a round 
Of social converse, where I found 
The highest kind of moral tone 
Which cities might expect to own. 
As yet religion could impart 
No deep emotion to my heart ; 
But taste and habit both forbade 
Of youthful vice the slightest shade ; 
And from its gross and noxious sway 
In strong disgust I turned away. 



IN A COC/N TING-HOUSE. 23 

Amongst those families were two, 

Whose heads were merchants. To pursue 

The walks of commerce ne'er had been 

My choice. But now that I had seen 

Its fair results amongst those friends, 

I felt the force which kindness lends ; 

And when they offered me a place, 

I took the post with cheerful face. 

Although my mother gave consent 

With great reluctance. Thus I went 

Into the counting-house, and there 

Passed one whole year, with little care 

Of toil or business. It was said 

That foreign commerce all lay dead 

Through Jefferson's Embargo, planned 

With no advantage to the land. 

And as my kind employers made 

Their profits by the shipping trade, 

I had no object to pursue. 

Because there was no work to do. 

My post of duty 1 could hold, 

And did whatever I was told. 

But that was little. Long before 

The year was out, the dream was o'er. 

My place I purposed to resign ; 

A merchants' life could not be mine. 

My time now ended, I was free, 



24 DEBATING SOCIETY. 

And joined a young Society 

Called Philological, designed 

To cultivate the powers of mind, 

By compositions and debates, 

On every subject which relates 

To social life or moral truth, 

Tending to elevate the youth 

In force of thought and skill of speech, 

And well arranged to give to each 

A field in which he might display 

Such talent as within him lay. 

It was my mother's strong desire 
That I should to the law aspire. 
She was ambitious for her son. 
And deemed more honor could be won 
By that profession. 'T was the line 
In which she thought me born to shine, 
And thus attain a lofty name. 
Sure of success in wealth and fame. 

To this bright scheme, at first, I paid 
No great attention. But it made 
A deep impression, when I found 
How well I could maintain my ground, 
Whene'er the task devolved on me 
In our new-made Society. 
I knew that I could write with ease. 



u 



DEBATING SOCIETY. 

And now discovered, by degrees, 
Tliat I had fluency of tongue. 
And argued well for one so young. 
My frank associates thought they saw 
That I was destined for the law, 
And in due time my mind became 
Persuaded to believe the same. 

One night, 't was in my sixteenth year, 
A little scene made this appear 
More obvious. By our general plan. 
The order of debating ran 
In fixed routine. Before the close 
Of every meeting held, we chose 
The question for the next debate ; 
Two members also, bound to state 
The arguments on either side. 
Were named, who to the case applied 
Such study as they might think meet, 
Their preparation to complete. 



25 



On this occasion 't was my lot 

To open the debate. I brought 

My speech to a successful close. 

And my antagonist arose, 

But only to apologize ; 

An inflammation of his eyes 

Had kept him back, though much desired, 

From reading what the case required. 



26 TALKING ON BOTH SIDES. 

It was a fair excuse, of course. 
Our chairman, as the next resource. 
Called on the members to reply ; 
But all were silent, grave, and shy. 
An awkward pause ensued, and then 
He asked me to begin again, 
In hope that this the ice might break, 
And others be induced to speak. 

I rose and took the vacant place 

Of my antagonist. The case 

Was all reversed. With fluent tongue, 

I showed my former speech was wrong ; 

And proved, that, in sound reason's sight. 

The contrary result was right. 



I 



This strange attempt great favor found. 

And loud applause was echoed round. 

That I " must be a lawyer " went .hI 

From mouth to mouth, with one consent ; 

Since nothing but a lawyer's mind 

Could be so readily inclined 

To bend its powers, with easy skill. 

On either side, for good or ill. 

The little incident became 

A passport to some youthful fame. 

And it seemed settled, from that day, 

That I in law must make my way. 



TALKING ON BOTE SIDES. 



27 



Yet now in this I cannot see 
Why such conclusion just should be. 
For every mooted question shows 
Two sides at least, and he who knows 
Enough to weigh them both with care 
Can always give a candid share 
To either side, if so inclined. 
It is an exercise of mind 
Required of all who seek the truth, 
In hoary age or vigorous youth ; 
Although, unhappily, but few 
Perform it with the labor due. 





Canto Cl^itti. 




OMESTIC trials cast a shade, 
For years, upon the efforts made 
By both my parents. They were free, 

So far as I could ever see, 

From serious failings, yet their life 

Was troubled sadly by the strife 

Of discord. Though their course was true 

To moral principle, they drew 

No comfort from Religion's power. 

And took no care to guard each hour 

Of social converse by the rule 

Which governs in the Christian school, — 

The rule of meekness, peace, and love. 

Instead of this, they seemed to prove 

That trifles light as air may bring, 

To tongues unbridled, force to sting. 

At length, with alienated heart. 

They deemed it best to live apart. 

He, as a book-keeper, remained 

In Philadelphia. She retained 



I 



I 



f 



SEPARATION OF PARENTS. 29 

Her old profession ; but 't was planned 
That she should move to Maryland ; 
There she resided for some years, 
Familiar with the griefs and tears 
Which wait upon the wretched fate 
Of those who try the wedded state, 
Without a serious thought or care 
For wisdom's grace to guide them there. 

This separation gave to me 
An unrestricted liberty. 
And though my heart felt sad and sore. 
That I could share their home no more, 
Yet was it a relief to know 
That discord could no further go. 
With me they had no fault to find. 
Their words and looks were always kind, 
And nothing had occurred to force 
Their censure of my filial course. 
I saw full well that both were wrong 
In thought, in temper, and in tongue. 
But 't was not right for me to chide 
My parents. Duty still denied 
That I had power to interfere, 
Though often, with a silent tear, 
I left my seat and sought my room, 
To 'scape the bitter strife to come. 



30 



WILSON'S ORNITHOLOGY. 



Yet now I hoped that Time might bring 
Some healing balm upon his wing, 
Since I could see no serious cause 
To break the band of wedlock's laws. 
'T was only temper, mixed with pride, 
That brought reproach from either side ; 
And I looked forward to the hour 
When love might yet resume its power. 
And they the rest of life should spend 
In peace and concord to the end. 
Alas ! that hope proved all in vain, 
They never met on earth again ! 



Some months before the crisis came, 

Wilson commenced his work of fame 

On Ornithology, and I 

Was urged my pencil to apply. 

That the engravings might appear 

With Nature's colors, true and clear. 

That work was lucrative. My hand 

Was rapid, and could well command 

Enough for all my wants and more ; 

But I cared little for the store 

Which from such occupation grew. 

A different course, both strange and new, 

Was strongly pressed upon my mind, 

To which my thoughts at length inclined, 



SCOTTISH FRIENDS. 31 

Though I should have preferred by far 
To try my fortune at the bar. 

Some of the cordial friends I met 

Were Scotchmen, all whose views w^ere set, 

Without much learning or pretence, 

On worldly tact and common sense. 

They praised the majesty of law, 

But in the lawyer's business saw 

So little truth, or honest zeal 

For justice, that they could not feel 

Content to have my plan of life 

Doomed to the work of venal strife, 

Where I must sell my hireling tongue, 

Without regard to right or wrong; 

My powers with equal care applied. 

If only paid, to either side ; 

Willing my utmost pains to spend 

The vilest culprit to defend ; 

And ready still success to prize, 

Though gained by sophistry and lies. 

This argument had little force 
To turn me from my cherished course. 
There was no cause, that I could see. 
Why lawyers could not honest be. 
They were not forced to take a case 
Where fraud or villainy had place ; 



a2 PRACTICAL ARGUMENTS. 

They might be tempted by a fee, 
To that I should of course agree, 
But such temptation could be found, 
With equal ease, within the round 
Of every lot. The difference lay 
In open, public, plain display 
Of all the learning, art, and skill, 
By which the lawyer works the ill : 
■ While every other knave can wear 
The cloak of secrecy, and dare 
The world his baseness to remark, 
Because 't is managed in the dark. 
But if the lawyer has a heart 
Where moral conscience acts its part, 
He may withstand the power of gold, 
Refusing to be bought or sold, 
While he is ever prompt to press 
The cause of truth and righteousness. 

My Scottish friends, on this, forbore 
To urge their censure any more, 
But called me to another ground 
Of prudence, which was strong and sound. 
There was no prospect, as they said. 
That I could earn my daily bread. 
Until my legal course was spent 
For many years. The general bent 
Of young ambition pointed still 



3 



AMERICAN MANUFACTURES. 33 

To that profession. Men of skill, 

In time, to eminence might rise. 

With wealth and fame to greet their eyes. 

But these in number were the few, 

The rest had little work to do. 

The Bar was largely overstocked, 

The hopes of hundreds all were mocked 

By disappointment. How could I 

Expect my income to supply, 

Without some other source of gain, 

Those years of struggle to sustain ? 

Instead of this uncertain strife, 

They counselled me to try the life 

Of manufacturer. The field 

In this lay open, and would yield 

A rich return, and still secure 

A maintenance, both safe and sure. 

The business they commended most 

Was making iron. England's boast 

Was largely based upon her art 

In each immense and varied part 

Of this vast manufacture. Here 

I might be prospered in a sphere 

Where work was needed. We were still 

Dependent upon British skill. 

So long as this our wants supplied. 

Old England could not be defied ; 



34 AN IMPRESSION MADE. 

And if we would be truly free, 
Her arts must here transplanted be. 
On this if I should take my stand, 
Honor and wealth I might command. 
No praise that legal lore may share 
With such distinction could compare, 
Since I should couple with my name 
A public benefactor's fame ! 

The views these Scottish friends expressed 
Sunk deep into my youthful breast. 
Though strongly warring with the force 
Which governed all my previous course. 
'T was plain the hope I must resign. 
That legal honors should be mine. 
The furnace and the forge could show 
No charms that I desired to know. 
The labors of mechanic art 
Could neither win my mind nor heart. 
My tastes and habits must be changed, 
My old associates be estranged, 
. And all my life be cast anew : 
But yet, what better could I do ? 
My present occupation led 
To nothing more than daily bread. 
The plan proposed might ope the way 
To fortmie at a future day ; 
And science and inventive skill. 



STUDY WITH EVANS. 35 

If guided by a steadfast will, 
Might in due time attain the ends 
Predicted by my Scottish friends. 
With these in prospect, could I think 
That fear of toil should make me shrink ? 
Should I refuse, on grounds so weak. 
The safer path of life to seek, 
Because my tastes and habits stood 
As barriers to a solid good ? 

Such reasoning, by degrees, my mind 

To this new enterprise inclined. 

My friends prepared a fitting place 

In which to start my novel race. 

Evans, whose famed inventive skill 

Reformed the modern flouring-mill. 

Had turned his genius now to try 

The steam-engine to simplify ; 

And I was taken to his home, 

An iron-master to become. 

On the broad comprehensive scale 

Where art and science might prevail. 

Thus launched upon my strange career, 

I spent my first laborious year. 

It was an easy task to draw 

All the machinery I saw ; 

I studied hard, with zealous will, 

In " Emerson's Mechanics " still : 



36 A TEAR'S WORK. 

In Mineralogy I made 

A rapid progress, while I paid 

To Chemistry a good degree 

Of fair and honest industry ; 

And as it was my cherished plan 

To be a scientific man, ] 

While yet the all-important part 

Of practice, which belongs to art, ' 

Should be attained with equal care, 

I was resolved my time to share 

In all the work which, day by day, 

Before my observation lay. 

Rising each morn before the dawn, 

My chosen course of toil went on. 

At first I found it hard enough, — 

My hands were soft, the work was rough ; 

But yet I persevered until 

I had acquired sufiicient skill, 

To show the workmen that I knew 

All that they were employed to do. 

The year was closed with ample praise 

From all around me ; but to raise 

My edifice of art more high, 

I deemed it needful to apply 

My time and thoughts, as much or more. 

To smelthio; iron from the ore. 



AT A FOUNDRY. 37 

A friendly invitation came 
In a rich iron-master's name ; 
So to New Jersey I went on, 
Where this important work was done : 
And, as before, I spent my hours, 
With all my young ambition's powers, 
Between my labors and my books ; 
While no unkindly words or looks, 
From my associates, seemed to say, 
That they were weary of my stay. 

The following year my steps were bent 
To Philadelphia, where I spent 
The closing period of my course 
With unabated zeal and force, 
At a good Foundry. There and then 
I came in contact with some men 
Of rank and influence, who came 
From South America, to frame 
A plan for iron-works, to be 
Fixed by their government's decree 
On a firm basis, sure to stand, 
A credit to their native land. 

This scheme was placed before my eyes, 
As leader of the enterprise ; 
And from that source the notion sprung 
That I must learn the Spanish tongue. 



38 TWENTY-ONE. 

So I began, without delay, 
To give two hours of every day, 
Under a master, with desire. 
That noble language to acquire. 

My progress went by quick degrees. 

In six months' time I read with ease ; 

But the Commissioners were gone 

To other States, my hope had flown ! 

Doubtless they found a fitter man 

To execute their useful plan, 

And I was saved for higher aim 

Than aught which they had power to name. 

My three years' course was done at last ; 
The age of twenty-one had passed. 
When I received an offer new. 
More safe and more attractive too. 
In eighteen hundred and thirteen, 
The land at war one year had been, 
And iron-making claimed a store 
Of profit never known before. 
Our strife with England closed, of course, 
All importation from that source. 
And iron rose to prices high. 
Demanding an increased supply, 
When we dependent had become " 
Upon our factories at home. 



IRON-MAKING. 39 

A German merchant, forced to quit 
His foreign commerce, deemed it fit 
To build a furnace, which might yield 
Of honest gain a fairer field. 
He took a partner to divide 
The capital to be supplied. 
The place was near to Pittsburgh, where 
They hoped a mine of wealth to share. 
To guide the work they offered me 
A thousand dollars' salary. 
Besides a small percentage claim 
Upon the profits, — when they came. 
The terms were liberal and kind ; 
And I at once made up my mind, 
With gratitude to God, whose hand 
Had given such task to my command. 

No time was lost. I took my way 
To where my new-found duty lay. 
We built our furnace, and begun 
The usual course of work to run : 
But the expenses proved too large. 
And soon became a weighty charge ; 
The firm dissolved, and I was free 
To shape afresh my destiny ! 



^s 


^p 


3V 


1 


1 


^ 




^^ 



Canto foutt)^. 




NOTHEE, prospect now arose, 
A brighter fortune to disclose. 
Among my Pittsburgh friends was one, 

"Who held a place almost alone, — 

The wealthy James O'Hara. He 

Proposed a partnership to me 

In an old furnace, much decayed, 

Which might, he thought, with care be made 

A source of profit. He possessed 

The land and capital. The rest 

Would on my management depend. 

To compass a successful end. 



On this new sphere I entered now. 
With hopeful heart and cheerful brow. 
The furnace lands stood, bright and clear, 
In the sweet vale of Ligonier. 
But soon I found that all my care 
Could tend to little profit there. 
The market for our iron lay 
In Pittsburgh, fifty miles away ; 



I 



LIGONIER VALLEY. 41 

And wagons, on a wretched road, 
Were used to bear the heavy load. 
The River Conemaugh could bring, 
'T was true, for some few days in spring, 
A large proportion, when it ran 
In a brief freshet. But that plan 
Involved delays and dangers too. 
With fifteen miles to travel through. 
Thus, either way, a serious cost 
Of transportation must be lost. 
Besides, the ore was poor and dear ; 
The woods for charcoal were not near; 
The buildings all required repair. 
And great expense was needed there ; 
Yet on I toiled, with might and main. 
Until the war was over. Then 
The price of iron quickly fell, 
And I was satisfied full well 
That labor, time, and money — all — 
Were spent and gone beyond recall ! 

But in those years a mighty change 
Gave to ray life a higher range 
Of thought and feeling, through the power 
Of Him who rules each passing hour, 
And shapes the end, in grace and love, 
With light and wisdom from above. 



42 RELIGIOUS CHANGE. 

One night, while reading, all alone, 
A work of Hannah More, there shone 
A sudden beam of truth divine, 
"Which I pretend not to define, 
Into my inmost heart. Its force 
Was pure and gentle ; but my course 
Seemed from that hour to own its guide 
In Christ the Lord, once crucified. 
And now my Savioue, whose control 
Had full possession of my soul ! 

My childhood's rule of private prayer 
Had still remained. Through every snare 
Of youth's temptations, it had shed 
A guardian influence o'er my head ; 
Yet now my thoughts could upwards soar, 
With feehngs never known before. 
Repentance, earnest, deep and new. 
Humility, sincere and true, 
Faith, in its power of grateful love. 
For the first time my heart could prove ; 
And from that moment I must date 
The change to a converted state. 



o 



The practical result ensued, 
In trying to produce some good 
Among my workmen. I began 
A Sunday service, on the plan 



MEDICAL PRACTICE. 43 

Of social worship in my room, 

To which they all were free to come. 

I prayed with them, and read the Word, 

Exhorting them to seek the Lord. 

We were not near to any place 

Where they could have the means of grace, 

And so I spent the Sabbath hour, 

And did the little in my power. 

And oft, when times of sickness came, 

I raised to health their prostrate frame 

"V^ith timely medicine, gratis given. 

For I, some years before, had striven 

To learn the noble healing art. 

So far at least as might impart 

A knowledge of the general rule 

Adopted in its highest school. 

The books of Reese and Thomas led 

My practice. I recoiled with dread 

From quackery. But it was a road 

Of twenty miles to the abode 

Where dwelt the doctor. Hence the will 

To exercise my humble skill 

Appeared a duty, clear and plain ; 

Nor was it exercised in vain ! 

The Great Physician deigned to bless 

My labor with entire success. 



44 Ni:W NEIGHBORS. 

My mother's school had now become 

Less prosperous. So I brought her home ; 

And for the next two years she tried 

To live in comfort by my side. 

But no society was there 

In which she could with pleasure share. 

Thinking she should be more content 

In Philadelphia, there she went, 

At her desire, the following year, 

When my disastrous days drew near. 

But the best earthly boon from heaven, 
By Providence, meanwhile, was given, — 
A faithful wife ! whose love and truth 
"Were the bright solace of my youth, 
And now, through fifty years and more. 
Have cheered my age to near fourscore. 

A maiden fair, in Hamburg born, 
Whose education might adorn 
The loftiest social rank, had come, 
Thirteen years old, to find her home 
In Baltimore. Her father claimed 
Descent from Lutherans much famed, 
A learned and ministerial line. 
Noted for zeal in things divine. 
Himself a merchant, he begun 
A prosperous career to run. 



I 
I 



IN LOVE. 45 

With full success, until the day 

When war with England drove away 

Our foreign commerce, and perforce 

Compelled him to a different course. 

So, in my neighborhood, he sought 

A sheep-farm, where in time he brought 

His family ; and soon I came, 

With no intent to light the flame 

Of love, for I had yet to earn 

My fortune in my new concern. 

And thoughts of marriage held no part 

In the direction of my heart. 

But I remember well the hour 
Which led me first to test the power 
Of his fair daughter. With a face 
And form expressive in the grace 
Of maiden beauty, with a hand 
Which o'er her harp had full command, 
With voice of sweet and thrilling tone, 
The soul of music was her own ! 
Her manners, genial, yet refined, 
Showed a pure taste and polished mind ; 
And when the visit's hour was o'er, 
I felt that I had ne'er before 
Beheld a face and form so fair, 
Uniting gifts so rich and rare ! 



46 MARRIAGE. 

The admiration thus begun 

Proved to be mutual. I won 

Her parents' kind regard, while she 

Despised the arts of coquetry ; 

And when I sought her hand, she bent 

Her eyes, and, blushing, gave consent. 

My course of love was smooth and clear, 

Exempt from jealousy or fear ; 

And in due time a Lutheran priest 

Presided at our marriage-feast ; 

For man and wife we had become, 

And then I brought my treasure home. 

A precious treasure ! Through a life 

Which had its share of toil and strife, 

She has been constant to employ 

Her power for order, peace, and joy ; 

Intent her duty to pursue, 

With heart unselfish, warm, and true ! 

The time when this event was seen 
Was eighteen hundred and sixteen. 
The eighth of May. Our life to cheer. 
Four days within the following year, 
Our first-born child was kindly given 
By the indulgent hand of Heaven, — 
A lovely daughter ! in whose face 
The promise of superior grace 
Already shone, our hopes to guide, 



BLACKSTONE. 47 

Until In time 't was verified 
By talents and devotion rare, 
Which few are privileged to share. 

The year before, I had to spend 

Some days in court, bound to attend 

As witness in a suit at law. 

The scene had powerful force to draw 

My boyish inclinations back ; 

And I resolved my course to track 

Towards that profession. I had known 

A lawyer in the county-town. 

With him to tarry, on my way. 

My name to enter from that day 

As his law-student, home to ride, 

With " Blackstone's Commentaries " tied 

Across my saddle, — such the plan 

On which I formally began 

My legal studies. Though, in fact, 

'T was doubtful whether I should act 

As practising attorney, still 

I had a firm, determined will 

To gain the knowledge and the power. 

And so I gave each leisure hour 

To reading " Blackstone," whom I found 

As entertaining as profound. 

When from my business tasks released, 

His volumes were my daily feast ; ' 



48 THE FURNACE CLOSED. 

And there were none to which my mind 
With liveHer interest incUned, 
Save only when I would pursue 
The learnino; to religion due. 

Two years of study were required 

Of all who to the Law aspired ; 

And eighteen months thus passed away, 

Wlien I no longer could delay 

To close the furnace. Since the peace 

With England forced all hope to cease, 

And foreign iron could be bought 

For half our price, I soon was taught. 

By sheer necessity, to shape 

Some other course, and so escape 

The ruin of my last design, 

While youth and energy were mine. 

I sought my honored partner's face. 
To lay before him all the case. 
It was a heavy bill of cost, — 
Full twenty thousand dollars lost ! 
The half belonged to me, 't was true, 
But I had nothing, as he knew. 
The sad result was clearly shown, — 
He had to bear the load alone, 
Until, at some far distant day, 
I might, perhaps, my share repay. 



A NOBLE FRIEND. 49 

For this result, however hard, 
He was in some degree prepared. 
For I had never used disguise. 
Nor failed to strengthen all the ties 
Of honest confidence and truth, 
Confessing the mistakes of youth 
Whene'er they happened to arise. 
And keeping still before his eyes, 
Subject to his more wise control, 
A faithful statement of the whole. 

Yet though I fully understood 
That I had done the best I could, 
And, with integrity of heart. 
Had ever tried to fill my part. 
Still I was conscious that the end 
Might turn away this valued friend. 
A loss so large few men could bear. 
The luckless agent few would spare. 
Reproach, suspicion, censure, blame, 
My faults and errors would proclaim ; 
And I might have to tell the tale 
So common to the men who fail ! 

But I no trace of this could find 
In James O'Hara's generous mind. 
My hand with cordial grasp he held. 
And all my fears at once dispelled. 
4 



50 PREPARING FOR A CHANGE. 

No look of coldness met my eye, 
No censure marked his kind reply ; 
No lack of confidence was there. 
The loss he would contrive to bear, 
And I alone should have my way. 
To close the works without delay. 
And in my course should still depend 
On him as on a steadfast friend. 

Relieved, and ready to depart, 

I wrung his hand with swelling heart. 

My thanks scarce able to repeat 

That I such kind regard should meet. 

But through my life I never knew 

A soul more noble, just, and true ; 

And ne'er, while memory holds her place, 

Can time his generous acts efface. 

"With fervent gratitude to God, 

I soon commenced my homeward road ; 

But ere I left, it was my care 

For my next dwelling to prepare. 

There was a prosperous female school. 
Conducted by the careful rule 
Of an instructress, patronized 
By all who solid merit prized. 
With her a contract fair I made ; 



CLOSING THE IRON-BUSINESS. 51 

My youthful wife was to be paid 
For teaching music, while my part 
Was to give lessons in the art 
Of drawing. A commodious room 
Was our apartment to become, 
And then our daily board should be 
In common with the family. 

My iron-business now to close 

Required some weeks. With small repose 

I toiled to balance each account, 

Till all were paid the full amount. 

My personal property was sold 

At auction, and the product told 

Upon the settlement of debt ; 

But no dissatisfaction met 

My ears, except in words of woe 

That we were thus obliged to go. 

Our work, throughout the country round, 

Had been of great advantage found ; 

Though loss to us, to them 't was gain, 

And hence the parting gave some pain 

To many, while there were a few 

Who marked with tears their sad adieu ! 

At length the day prefixed drew near. 
When we should leave sweet Ligonier : 
And there was sorrow in that hour ! 



52 FAREWELL TO LIGONIER. 

'T was here that we had felt the power 

Of wedded love, and parents' joy ; 

'T was here I labored to employ 

My best affections for the Lord, 

Worthy alone to be adored ; 

'T was here I used my humble art 

To cheer with hope the poor man's heart ; 

'T was here my precious wife and I 

Admired, with fond artistic eye, 

The beauties of pure Nature's face 

In all their native forms of grace. 

Wandering together o'er the scene 

By murmuring brook and valley green ; 

And here were some who warmly kept 

Our memory, and sincerely wept. 

With bitter grief, upon the day 

That sent us on our devious way ! 




I 




Canto fiftt). 




REIVED in Pittsburgh (then a town 
Of small extent, though much renown, 
The population it could boast 
Some eighteen thousand at the most), 
Our child, her precious nurse, and I 
At once proceeded to comply 
With the kind offer which had come, 
To make our temporary home 
At my late partner's dwelling. There, 
We found the most endearing care 
And cordial welcome from his wife, 
A lady now in middle life. 
With queenly face and active mind. 
And manner frank, though quite refined, 
Who was, as all around me said. 
Of good society the head. 
Her daughters, gracious, kind, and bright. 
Petted our babe with much delight, 
In which their mother's genial heart 
Was pleased to bear an ample part 



54 SETTLED IN PITTSBURGH. 

While our loved host, with cheerful word, 

Presided at the social board, 

Dispensing anecdotes and wit, 

As if he felt it right and fit 

That youthful hope should have its sway, 

And all our griefs be driven away ! 

His generous stand, so nobly shown. 
On every side was fully known ; 
And sympathy and kindness grew 
Apace amongst the friends we knew. 
How sweet such goodness to recall ! 
The hand of God was o'er it all I 

The new arrangement soon was made. 
My drawing-class with zeal arrayed 
Their ready pencils, and the sound 
Of that dear harp was floated round, 
With voice melodious, giving more 
Delight than aught they felt before. 
And charming every youthful heart 
With music's pure enchanting art. 
Our residence was at the school ; 
But 't was a fixed and constant rule 
That every Saturday should see 
Our lovely babe, my wife, and me 
At my late partner's, there to dine 
And taste his goodly ale and ^dne. 



A STUDENT AT LAW. 55 

Nor was this all. He deemed it meet 
To give me a commodious seat 
In his own office, there to stay, 
And keep his books from day to day ; 
While I must to his table come. 
And know that I had there a home. 

This was a friendly scheme, devised 
In kindness, which I highly prized. 
The books thus placed within my power 
Scarce claimed the care of half an hour ; 
And I, in quiet and alone, 
Could call the office-room my own, 
And study law with all the zeal 
Which fervent industry could feel. 

There were two leaders at the Bar 
Of Pittsburgh, whose repute by far 
Exceeded all the rest. Of these 
One lawyer, whom I chanced to please, 
Gave me, with kind and liberal grace, 
The offer of a student's place, 
Loaned me his books, and when desired, 
Taught me whatever I required. 
Six months were wanting to complete 
My two years' study, and to meet 
The grave examination, made 
Before my name could be displayed 



56 ADMITTED TO THE BAR. 

As an Attorney. Every hour 
Was well devoted, with the power 
Of stern necessity, which wrought 
The strongest stimulus of thought. 

The day at length arrived, when I 

My new profession could apply 

In legal practice. Nothing loath, 

I took the lawyer's formal oath 

With Christian seriousness, and faith 

That I should keep it unto death. 

The Court, as was the custom, gave 

The case of a poor thievish knave 

Who had no counsel, to my care ; 

But no defensive ground was there : 

The proof was positive and plain. 

What credit could I hope to gain 

In such a hopeless cause as this ? 

And yet it was not wise to miss 

The opportunity assigned 

By order of the Court. My mind 

Was all confused when I began 

To argue for the guilty man ; 

And when I closed, I could not tell 

If I had spoken ill or well. 

But though the culprit, at the time, 

Received the just reward of crime. 

My speech, it seemed, was praised by all 



I 




A PRECIOUS WIFE. 57 

The crowd that occupied the hall. 
Some lawyers, too, in kindness came, 
To prophesy my future fame ; 
And I went home to cheer my wife, 
With this first tale of legal life. 

That precious wife, admired, beloved 

By those that knew her, always proved 

My faithful helpmate. Prompt to bear, 

In every cross, her ample share ; 

Warmly devoted to her friends ; 

Above all low and selfish ends ; 

With active energy of will. 

Guided by pure affection still ; 

Her head might sometimes be at fault. 

Her heart was never ! When I thought 

How rarely wedded life is blest 

With comfort such as mine possessed, — 

How vain must wealth and fame become 

When discord blights the peace of home, — 

How cheerless each domestic art 

Where true religion has no part, — 

I could not find fit words of praise 

To Him who thus had crowned my days 

With such a priceless treasure given 

By the all-gracious hand of Heaven ! 

Our school engagements now were done. 



58 OVER-WORK. 

And I my lawyer's life begun 

In a small dwelling, just behind 

The Court-House. I gave up my mind 

To study and to business there, 

With unremitting zeal and care, 

And earned enough, from day to day, 

For all our moderate wants to pay, 

Since the employment of that year 

Produced a thousand dollars clear. 

But I had overtasked my power 

By hard night reading. To the hour 

Of two, each morning, o'er the page 

It was my custom to engage 

My weary eyes and throbbing brain. 

Until at length a fearful train 

Of symptoms made me understand 

That fell Consumption was at hand. 

I had a skilful doctor nigh. 
Who watched me with a friendly eye. 
And often warned me of the end 
Which must this ill-judged course attend. 
My anxious wife, the point to gain, 
Had still remonstrated in vain. 
But now her father came to town, 
To take the child and mother down 
On a short visit. Then, to aid 
The new resolve that I had made. 



SUNDAYS. 59 

A favorite trotting horse he sent, 
On which one hour each morn I spent 
Before my breakfast; while, instead 
Of two o'clock, I laid my head 
Upon my pillow at eleven, 
The rule by my physician given. 
This plan was followed day by day, 
And all the danger passed away, 
Through His kind favor who had still 
Preserved me from each dreaded ill, — 
That gracious Lord who holds control 
Over the body and the soul ! 

The leading church in Pittsburgh, then. 

Was Presbyterian, and the strain 

Of preaching, long established there, 

Was Calvinistic, strict and fair. 

My former partner's family 

On Sundays took my wife and me 

To their own pew, and we inclined 

With them to harmonize our mind. 

She, both in worship and in word. 

Could well with those dear friends accord ; 

While I had nothing to object 

Against that much respected sect. 

Another far less numerous band 
Held the Episcopalian stand. 



60 AN ORGANIST. 

And these had then a genial man 

As Rector, who his course began 

With great acceptance : warm of heart, 

Cordial of speech, skilled to impart 

The tone of cheerfulness to all 

With whom he chanced each day to fall, 

And lately wedded to a wife 

Of winning grace and blameless life. 

A mutual fi'iendship, strong, though new, 
'Tvvixt them and us full quickly grew, 
Which aided greatly to define 
The Christian course of me and mine. 

One day he told me he had bought 
An organ for his Church, but sought 
Without success, though long he tried. 
To have the organist supplied. 
And then suggested that I might 
Relieve him from his painful plight. 
If I would occupy the ground, 
Until some other could be found. 
He hoped I might the task approve, 
Though it must be a work of love ; 
For no reward should I conclude. 
Except the sense of doing good. 



This set me thinking of the hours 



PLEA FOR CHVRCH MUSIC. 61 

In which I cherished Music's powers, 
From childhood up to manhood's prime, 
Devoting no small zeal and time 
To play three instruments with skill. 
Composing waltzes, songs, at will, 
And ranging through a circle wide 
Of harmony, on every side. 
While not one effort had been given 
To make it serve the. cause of Heaven ! 
Yet music formed a grand display 
Li worship at King David's day. 
The Psalms were written to be sung 
By choirs devout, with faithful tongue ; 
And psalteries, trumps, and cornets' sound 
Gave aid to spread the chorus round. 
The great St. Paul full plainly told 
The Church on earth her strains to hold; 
And golden harps and hymns of love 
Reecho through the Church above. 
How could I, then, with grace deny 
My help this music to supply ? 
If God had granted me the art, 
Should He not claim its better part ? 
And was it not high time to share 
The talent with His house of prayer ? 

Concluding thus the post to take. 
And hence decided to forsake 



62 COMMUNICANTS. 

The Presbyterians, though my mind 

Had then no fault with them to find, 

I told my wife that she was free 

To stay with them, or go with me. 

She did not like the change, and tried 

One Sunday, parted from my side. 

But that was all ! The next she came, 

And, standing near the organ frame, 

United in our sacred song 

With thrilling voice and grateful tongue. 

In three brief months, we knelt to prove 

The promise of our Saviour's love 

Before the Sacramental Board ; 

Together taking, at His word, 

The holy consecrated sign 

Of sacrifice, through grace divine, 

For a lost world in mercy given. 

To save us, by His blood, for Heaven ! 

And thus the Church became our home. 

From thence, through life, no more to roam ; 

Although as yet I could not trace 

Her special Apostolic place, 

And needed study, thought, and care, 

A just conclusion to prepare. 



Canto ^(jctl^. 




EFORE my year of practice closed had 
been, 
^ A second daughter entered on the scene. 
The next year saw us in a house more fair, 
As business came to me in larger share ; 
And in the third, so prospered was my stand. 
That more, new suits were entered by my hand 
Than any other advocate could boast, 
While scarcely one among them all was lost. 



But here it may be useful to digress, 
And state the causes of such rare success. 



I looked on lawyers as a special class 
Of men, raised high above the common mass, 
That justice might be ministered to all, 
Alike to rich and poor, to great and small, 
With an impartial, firm, and potent voice, 
In which all honest hearts should still rejoice. 



64 CHRISTIAN LAWYERS. 

This class I held to be the growth alone 

Of Christianity. It was not known 

In Rome or Greece, until the Grospel rose 

To shed its light upon its heathen foes. 

It was not known amongst old Israel's race ; 

And now it is not found in any place 

Throughout the world, save only where the Word 

Of Christian truth pays homage to the Lord. 

The class of lawyers who, of yore, had come 
To great importance in imperial Rome, 
Sunk quite away through Europe in the age 
When Goths and Vandals occupied the stage. 
The little learning then for centuries found 
Was only seen within the Church's ground. 
And when we next discern the lawyers' art. 
It was the clergy who performed their part ; 
Thus clearly proving their belief to be, 
That law and Gospel always should agree. 

The fifteenth century produced a change : 
Learning revived, and took a wider range ; 
The clergy left the law to other tongues, 
Reserving all that to the soul belongs ; 
But still remained the plain and sacred sign 
Which binds the lawyer to the rule divine. 

For, first, he holds his license from the Court 




THE LAWYERS OATH. 65 

To which the whole community resort 
For justice. And no case can there be tried 
Until religion's seal has been applied. 
The oath to God is taken by them all. 
The judge, the jury, on the Lord must call ; 
The lawyers and the witnesses must swear 
Their strict resolve to do their duty there. 
And thus the bond of Christian faith we find 
Distinctly placed, in form, on every mind. 
From this plain proof no skeptic can withdraw, 
'T is " part and parcel " of the Common Law. 

I next reflected that 't was here alone 

The oath of office o'er the work was thrown. 

The Doctors, Teachers, Artists, Men of Trade, 

Are under no such obligation laid. 

The Manufacturers, though hundreds live 

Beneath their influence, no such pledges give. 

The Generals in the army, though a host 

Of men may by their negligence be lost ; 

The Admirals, on whom it may depend 

The welfare of the nation to defend ; 

In fine, the vast varieties of life 

Which form this world of labor and of strife 

Are all allowed to enter on their course 

Without an oath their duty to enforce. 

In this, the work of Justice stands apart; 

The oath of office guards the lawyer's art : 



66 ■ WHAT IS LAW? 

And here Religion must exert her sway, 
To be the safe director of his way. 

And rightly ! To the strength of law we owe 
The best security of all below. 
Before the law, all human power should bow, 
With trustful feeling and submissive brow. 
From law alone each citizen expects 
The rule which every social right protects. 
'Tis law which forces villainy to cease. 
'T is law which guards our property in peace. 
It is the majesty of law which spreads 
Its sacred aegis over all our heads, 
Forbidding tyrant force, led on by pride, 
In triumph o'er our liberty to ride ; 
Forbidding fraud, with mean and venal art. 
To act successfully its treacherous part ; 
And still dispensing, "with its sovereign hand, 
The light of truth and justice through the land. 

But what is law ? A rule of action given. 
At first, by the authority of Heaven. 
God gave His law in Paradise, that so 
The happy tenants might their duty know. 
He gave His law to Noah, and in fine, 
Proclaimed thi'ough Moses' lips a Code divine. 
The Ten Commands which from Mount Sinai cam« 
In clouds of darkness lit by lightning's flame. 



RELIGION TEE BASIS OF LAW. 67 

Were uttered by His voice who reigns on high 

The Sovereign Master of the earth and sky. 

The moral law, by His creative art, 

Is written in the conscience of each heart ; 

And thus, through all the heathen world, the 

ground 
Of that great law in every race is found. 
But Christian nations have it full and clear. 
For, in the Written Word, its rules appear 
In all their force. From these our laws descend : 
By these their sanctity we can defend, 
In all the catalogue of grievous crime 
And rights of property. 'T is true that time 
Has introduced some other laws, whose claim 
To veneration cannot be the same ; 
Yet even to these the law of Christ applies. 
When the Apostle's words before us rise : 
" Submit to every ordinance of man 
For conscience' sake." Such is the Gospel plan ; 
And thus obedience to the law's control 
Is bound by power divine upon the soul. 

Hence to my mind it seemed so plain and clear 
That all the work of law should close adhere 
To Christian duty. Hence the oath which binds 
The lawyer's conscience in good reason finds 
An ample warrant for its high appeal 
To God, the Lawgiver, that men may feel 



68 OPPOSITION FROM LAWYERS. 

Their true allegiance to His power, and still 
Make known their reverence for His sacred will : 
Since otherwise, that solemn oath must be 
An awful mocking of His majesty. 
The reckless man that takes it in such guise 
Begins his course in blasphemy and lies, 
And just as sure as death and judgment come. 
Brings down upon his head a fearful doom ! 

With views like these my legal course was run, 

And much I fear I was the only one 

That held them. Save myself, no lawyer there 

Professed the Christian faith, or seemed to care 

For any rule superior to the scale 

In which the morals of the world prevail. 

And hence I found the leaders of the bar 

Disposed to carry on a sort of war 

On my religion. They could not deny 

That in sound argument I might defy 

The best among them. Hence they only spoke 

As if my Christian garb was but a cloak 

Of sheer hypocrisy, for sordid ends, 

Designed to make all pious men my friends. 

Thus they accounted for my rapid growth 

In character and business, nothing loath. 

On this poor ground, my whole success to brand, 

And slander what they could not understand. 



I 



LEGAL PRACTICE. 69 

But this was not the favored course with all. 
There were exceptions, neither few nor small, 
Of younger lawyers, who, with generous will. 
Approved my care, my talents, and my skill 
With more applause than I presumed to claim. 
And kindly helped to recommend my name. 

The principles of practice I pursued 

Were only meant for justice and for good. 

I undertook no case till I was sure 

My client's cause this test could well endure. 

When he had told his story, 't was my plan 

To ask him frankly how the other man 

Had viewed the matter. Thus I always tried 

To see the ground of difference on each side ; 

And if it were a case of oral proof, 

That I from all mistake might stand aloof, 

I made him bring his witnesses, and so 

The truth from their own statement I could know. 

Then, if a doubt remained, it was my part 

To recommend a compromise. No art 

Which I could use would save him from a train 

Of cost and contest, all perhaps in vain. 

'T was better for his pocket and his peace 

From litigation's plagues and toils to cease, 

Than seek a dubious game at law to play, 

Where time and money might be thrown away. 



70 BELAYS AVOIDED. 

By such a course I rarely failed to find 

My clients willing to adopt my mind. 

But if, as sometimes happened, they were bent 

On legal contest, they had my consent 

To try some other lawyer. On the ground 

Which I believed to be correct and sound 

I could not offer to become their guide 

Unless I had plain justice on my side. 

K, by my client's statement, I could see 

His cause was one of great uncertainty, 

I felt quite sure, had I the power to hear 

His adversary, 't would much worse appear. 

And so it proved. "When they would not embrace 

The counsel I had given, they lost the case, 

And came to me as soon as it was o'er, 

"With confidence far stronger than before. 

In all the legal business of that day 
The clients suffered by the law's delay ; 
But here, I had good reason to suspect, 
The evil was the fruit of sheer neglect. 
In this too common fault I had no share. 
No toil was spared my cases to prepare ; 
No time was idly suffered to be lost, 
Nor was there any waste of care and cost. 
This habit, by degrees, well known became, 
And aided greatly to advance ray name. 
In cases of collection suits for debt 



/ 



COMPROMISES. 71 

I found that lawyers sometimes would torget 

To pay their clients' money. No excuse 

Could be admitted for this gross abuse. 

But I was punctual to the very hour 

Which placed the sums collected in my power, 

Remitting them at once, with prompt good will, — 

A duty I took pleasure to fulfil. 

Yet, when compassion's counsels might prevail, 
I shunned the misery of a sheriff's sale. 
If the poor debtor's friends could well secure 
The final payment, so that this was sure, 
I took all pains the case to represent. 
And gain my worthy client's free consent 
To give him ample time, with patience due. 
And save his property and credit too. 
The thanks which I received in this regard 
Were felt to be a full and rich reward. 

And there was still another pleasing part 
In which I often worked with all my heart. 
Whene'er my client's case seemed to admit 
Of peaceful compromise, I deemed it fit 
To bring the parties to my office, there 
To listen to their statements, and compare 
The plain advantage, if they could agree. 
With all the plague and contest which must be 
The fruit of litigation. Many a strife 



72 EXPERIENCE USEFUL. 

Was thus composed within my legal life 

To mutual satisfaction. 'T was my end 

To act at once as lawyer and as friend ; 

And though in such a work my fees were small, 

The good resulting paid me for it all ! 

But in my new vocation I was taught 

The vast advantage of the knowledo;e brought 

From all my previous labors. Sooth to say, 

At first I deemed those years were thrown away. 

Yet now I found the wide experience gained 

In men and general business well sustained 

My legal duties. Hence my mind could claim 

More sympathy with every class that came 

For consultation. Hence the tribes of trade, 

Mechanics, merchants, farmers, all were made 

To feel at ease in telling me their case, 

As they perceived how well I could embrace 

Their several interests. And when the day 

Of trial came, the same advantage lay 

With witnesses. Besides, I could command 

More skill to make the jury understand 

The bearing of the evidence, and reach 

The art to fix attention to my speech. 

The general information I possessed 

Was thus full oft with good effect expressed. 

" Knowledge is power," and those who have it can 

Use the best influence of man on man. 



TEE PULPIT AND THE BAR. 73 

The principles on which my practice grew, 
Religion showed me, were correct and true. 
'T was from the Bible that I sought to gain 
The rule of life my labors to sustain. 
Each morning summoned me and mine to pray 
For grace and guidance through the passing day : 
Each night beheld us at the sacred shrine, 
To thank the Lord of truth and love divine. 
And thus His blessing rested on the skill 
"Which moved in concord with His perfect will ! 

But while my rising prospects at the bar 

My own most sanguine hopes surpassed by far, 

And I was fully conscious that my name 

Might yet be linked with fortune and with fame, 

I often felt disgusted at the sight 

Which legal strife exposes to the light, — 

A mass of falsehood, meanness, fraud, and crime ! 

And then I longed to consecrate my time 

To that more sacred ministry of love 

Which advocates the wisdom from above, 

And pleads to a condemned and sinful race 

The Saviour's cause of mercy and of grace. 

Especially on Sundays, when I saw 

How much the pulpit sunk below the law 

In zeal and talent. We had lost the man 

With whom my sacramental course began ; 

And our small Church had suffered, year by year, 



74 DESIRE FOR THE MINISTRY. 

With preaching neither eloquent nor clear. 
And as I listened to the poor display, 
I wished, if possible, to find my way 
To that great office, by whose pure control 
I might promote the welfare of the soul. 

This change, however, could not be, while yet 

I lay beneath a heavy load of debt 

To my late partner. He had passed away, 

And now his heirs possessed the legal sway 

Of all his wealth. But though they were to me 

Indulgent friends, as kind as they could be, 

I had no moral right to turn aside 

From a profession which so weU supplied 

The means by which I still might hope to claim, 

In time, my freedom from a debtor's name. 

Besides, my children were a growing stock. 

Two precious boys were added to my flock ; 

And so the thoughts of ministerial life 

Must be postponed, and years of legal strife 

Must be continued with a constant mind. 

Until I could an honest warrant find. 

But this, I felt, would be accomplished still, 

If 't were so ordered by my Master's will. 

About this time I had made up my mind 
That my Freemasonry should be resigned. 
For I, before my entrance at the bar. 



FREEMASONRY. 75 

Had joined the Lodge, and then gone on as far 
As was consistent with the third degree. 
That institution always seemed to me 
Designed to foster moral truth and love ; 
Nor could I see good cause to disapprove 
The law by which the just Freemason trod 
A path commanded in the Word of God. 
His square and compass were full well displayed, 
With sacred reverence on the Bible laid ; 
His solemn oath, in language strong and plain. 
Was always on that Holy Volume ta'en ; 
His contributions, regular and sure. 
Were given to brethren, sick, or old, or poor ; 
Nor, when to estimate his rules I came. 
Could 1 find aught to censure or to blame. 
But still I thought consistency required 
That the same Bible, thus in part admired, 
Should be adopted, in its full control. 
O'er all that regulates the life and soul. 
On their own principles. Freemasons all 
Should with true faith on their Eedeemer call. 
The Lodge, however fair its partial ground. 
Can for the Church no substitute be found ; 
And yet, how many members there I saw 
Kesolved the false conclusion thus to draw. 
Content to make the Lodge their only guide, 
And caring nothing for all else beside ! 



76 KING SOLOMON. 

From great King Solomon, as all suppose, 
The noble Order of Freemasons rose ; 
And Solomon possessed a mighty mind, 
But he was not the Saviour of mankind. 
Though wise as any mortal man could be, 
Yet did he play the fool egregiously. 
And sinned beyond the guilt of many lives, 
By building heathen altars for his wives, 
Instead of teaching them the Sacred Word, 
And leading them in faith to serve the Lord. 
By this most shameful conduct he brought down 
A judgment on the nation. Union gone ! 
Ten tribes revolted ! Israel's peace had fled, 
And war intestine raised its horrid head. 
No art the former Union could restore, 
And all their boasted greatness was no more ! 

Three books of Solomon, it is most true, 
Attributed to inspiration due. 
Have always by the Church admitted been. 
But in these writings not one word is seen 
About the founding of an Order new, 
Who should the work of Masonry pursue. 
Josephus, the historian of the Jews, 
Thought fit such information to refuse. 
And not one scrap of evidence appears, 
Through all the records of two thousand years. 
Until the Middle Ages. There we meet 



MAS ONE Y NOT JEWISH. 77 

With facts of much significance, to greet 
The eyes of the explorer. When the sword 
Of the Crusaders triumphed o'er the horde 
Of Saracens, and Baldwin took the throne 
In old Jerusalem, a work was done 
Which well might seem, with reason good, to be 
The worthy source of this fraternity. 
For then a Temple was rebuilt with care. 
And Knightly orders rose, with purpose fair, 
To guard the Christian pilgrims from the foe ; 
While all the builders, that the world might know 
Their grand achievement, formed an Order too, 
And from that time their art in honor grew : 
Thence the Masonic Brotherhood came down 
From age to age, with credit and renown. 

To this fair theory I gave my mind, 

Because no other method I could find 

By which to reconcile Masonic acts 

With the historic evidence of facts. 

The building of this Temple would suggest 

The work of Solomon, and all the rest 

Which in the Scripture narrative we see. 

As obvious points of true analogy ; 

But there was nothing which I heard or knew 

To indicate the system of the Jew ; 

While there were two great matters, clear and 

plain, 
Which nought except the Gospel could explain. 



78 ST. JOHN'S DAT. 

First, that the square and compass were displayed 

On the whole Bible, therefore they were laid 

On the Wew Testament : the Special Word, 

Which leads us to our Saviour as the Lord. 

Next, that the Festal day in all the year 

Is taken from the Gospel. This is clear. 

In concord with the Knights of good St. John, 

His day was ever chosen as the one 

Which all Freemasons honor with a zeal 

Becoming faithful Christian men to feel. 

Now these are facts no argument can bring 

Within the times of Israel's Jewish kino^. 

The common notion, as it seemed to me. 

Had neither proof nor probability. 

I had no doubt the first Freemasons were, 

As true believers, men of faith and prayer, 

Belongino; to the Church in deed and name, 

And their successors still should be the same. 

A further evidence of this was shown 
From facts of history to all men known. 
For since the time when Rome's triumphant sway 
Had driven the Jews from their own land away, 
For fifteen centuries and more, their place, 
Through Europe, was a by-word of disgrace ; 
And no Society which claimed its power 
From Jewish sources could have lived an hour 
Amongst a Christian people. This, to me, 



FAREWELL TO THE LODGE. 79 

Seemed proof as positive as proof could be ; 
Nor could my mind, regarded in this shape. 
In any mode from the result escape. 

But the majority were fixed. With them, 
No argument the prejudice could stem. 
And hence it soon became my strong desire 
With all respect and kindness to retire. 
And so I took my leave in form. Since then 
I never visited the Lodge again. 




1 




1 


i 




^M 



Canto ^ebentl^. 




HE time now came when constant labor 

brought 
A fearful warning to the powers of 

thought. 
Too much employment in official care, 
Too little exercise in open air ; — 
My brain began to suffer, and the range 
Of daily toil requu-ed a thorough change. 



One night, preparing to retire to bed, 

A strange sensation struck upon my head. 

No language can describe the kind of pain. 

I felt convinced that I should be insane 

If it continued. So at once I ran 

To my physician's home, — that same kind man 

"Wlio had been wai'ning me, for years before, 

That my career on earth must soon be o'er, 

Unless my constant labors were combined 

With healthful relaxation to my mind. 

The dose of paregoric which he gave 

Relieved my nerves, and I resolved to brave 



FAILURE OF HEALTH. 81 

My friend's advice no longer. The next day 
I bought an out-lot near two miles away ; 
And in brief time I built a dwelling there, 
That I my weakened strength might thus repair 
By wholesome exercise ; and then I took, 
As junior partner, one who well could look 
After the office. He had studied law. 
And all my mode of practice clearly saw. 
As inmate of my family full long, — 
By Nature gifted with a judgment strong, 
And well adapted to perform his part 
With careful energy and skilful art. 

My constitution soon regained its strength. 
And I, to please my clients, went at length. 
Though with reluctance, some few days to spend, 
A neighboring Court in term-time to attend. 
And while contending there in legal strife 
The fact took place which changed my future life. 
And gave that life, by Heaven's divine control, 
To the great work which long possessed my soul. 

Amongst the vestrymen that held the care 
Of our small church, I had a friend who there 
Possessed the influence which honest zeal 
Inclines the hearts of Christian men to feel. 
To him I had conveyed, one year before. 
The inclination which my judgment bore 
6 



82 



A PARISH MEETING. 



To-svards the vocation by the Lord designed 
To be the guide and teacher of mankind, 
Ready in this my service to display 
Whenever He should please to ope the way. 



Ko further conference between us passed 
Upon the subject ; but I found, at last, 
That he on this foundation laid a plan. 
Without my knowledge, and his work began 
While I was absent. Word was sent to all 
To hold a parish meeting, and to call 
Another pastor ; for the church had then 
Beheld for months a vacant desk again. 
And our last minister had failed to prove 
An object either of respect or love. 
A goodly number to the meeting came. 
And then my zealous friend proposed my name 
As future rector, if I were agreed 
To give up my profession, and proceed 
As soon as possible to be ordained : 
The service of the Church to be sustained 
By me as their Lay Reader, till the hour 
When I could act vsdth ministerial power. 

My friend then told them that he knew my mind 
Had long been strongly to this work inclined. 
'T was true the sacrifice which I must make 
Was large. I should be called on to forsake 



1 



EXTRAORDINARY CALL. 83 

A prosperous business, greater now, by faPj 

Than many lawyers at the Pittsburgh bar. 

My income on an average must be clear 

Four or five thousand dollars every year, 

While as their rector I could not control 

More than a poor eight hundred on the whole. 

And he had no authority from me 

To say as yet what the result might be ; 

But still he trusted to the ardent zeal 

Which for the Church he thought my heart must 

feel, 
And urged his hearers that they ought to ask 
My free consent to undertake the task. 
In hope to make my resolution sure. 
And thus my life-long labor to secure. 

This proposition was so new and strange 
That it produced a wide and varied range 
Of warm discussion. Yet, as I was told. 
No speaker on the subject seemed to hold 
A doubt that I was qualified to fill 
The sacred office, if I had the will. 
The loss of income was the only ground 
On which objection to the plan was found. 
But all dispute was yielded in the end. 
The resolution offered by my friend 
Was in due form propounded at the last, 
And with unanimous concurrence passed. 



84 PERPLEXITY. 

On my return, this parish act was laid 

Before my eyes, and the impression made 

Exceeds all power of language to express ; 

For in my business I had great success. 

If in that noble calling I should stay. 

Fortune and honor full before me lay ; 

While, in the ministry, the paltry gain 

Could not my precious family sustain. 

Three hundred dollars must be paid beside. 

Which, year by year, my mother's wants supplied ; 

And that annuity the sacred law 

Of filial love forbade me to withdraw. 

Moreover, there was still the heavy debt 

To my late partner's heirs, which must be met ; 

And how, with all those claims upon my hand, 

Could I in poverty expect to stand ? 

Under these circumstances it was clear 

That such a change mere madness must appear ; 

And worldly prudence seemed at once to show 

The only course in which I ought to go. 

But then, had I not here received a call 
Of highest duty from the Lord of all ? — 
A call like which no other case was known, 
In form peculiar, strange, and quite alone ? — 
A call whose only theory could be, 
That it was ordered by His wise decree ? 
Had not His Holy Spirit drawn my will, 



LAST OBSTACLE REMOVED. 85 

For years, this sacred function to fulfil 
Whene'er the hand of God should lead the way, 
And should I now that high resolve betray ? 
Grant that a host of worldly fears and cares 
Might spring around me, with their specious 

snares, 
Could I not trust His goodness who had shed 
So many gracious blessings on my head ? 
Nay, was there not a special promise given 
To those who left their earthly gain for Heaven ? 
And would not every sacrifice, so made. 
By His munificence be well repaid ? 

But still my former partner's heirs possessed 
A right which could not justly be repressed ; 
And hence I went to them without delay, 
Submitting to their will what I should say. 
For they were Christians who could understand 
The rule which my decision should command, 
And thus their judgment might afford a clue 
To guide me in the path I should pursue. 

The gracious answer from these friends received 
My mind from its chief doubt at once relieved. 
That debt, they said, should never bar the way. 
The dictates of my heart I must obey ; 
Nor would they e'er presume to hold a rod 
Of legal justice o'er a call from God ! 



86 



LA 7 READER. 



The path seemed open now, for well I knew 
The feelings of my precious wife were true. 
No fear of want or trouble could appall 
Her pious confidence. She hailed my call 
With grateful pleasure, longing for the hour 
When I could use my undivided power 
To serve that glorious Lord whose hand divine 
So long had kindly guarded me and mine. 

My mind at length made up, with faith and 

prayer, 
I went to Philadelphia to prepare 
My way to Ordination. Here I found, 
From Bishop, Clergy, Laity, a round 
Of cordial welcome. When that work was done, 
Lay reading in the church at once begun ; 
And from that hour my humble labors bore 
An interest never witnessed there before. 



For many years their organ I had played ; 
And now my faithful wife, though much afraid. 
Assumed the post. To make her task more plain, 
I wrote her voluntaries, and the strain 
Which served as interlude to every verse ; 
And those each week she could at home rehearse. 
Thus for four years she occupied the ground, 
Until another organist was found. 



FAREWELL TO THE LAW. 87 

My care was next my business to dispose, 
That I at once my lawyer's life might close ; 
And here the opportunity was given, 
By the still favoring Providence of Heaven. 

The able Henry Baldwin held a name 

Of high preeminence in legal fame ; 

And now, four years in Congress being passed, 

He deemed it prudent to return at last 

To his profession. That he might secure 

My business, which he knew was large and sure, 

He made an offer, liberal and fair. 

To my young colleague, that they both should 

share 
As partners, if I would transfer the whole 
To them, so far as I possessed control, 
For a just price. I was rejoiced to find 
That I could thus so soon relieve my mind 
From a great burden. The amount to state. 
My youthful partner made the estimate. 
And found, that, from the cases then in train. 
Twelve thousand dollars ought to be the gain. 
On this they offered me, in notes of hand, 
Three thousand only. But I would not stand 
To argue on the terms. The deed was done ! 
My final cause was pleaded, and was won. 
The eighth day of November saw me free ; 
The year was eighteen hundred twenty-three. 



]|[j' finslt jE9i»HBS&. And wfaem, in 3ftay, I 
1k» the Cbn.«<BBlldOB%, tibjgf- afflow^ nrf claim 
Tb be CBEiiHned aPtie^ — a lapdiace 

Ftram k^d fsaeidioe to a fiecft!K% plaeeb! 



masfaid tolKart. 

" 131 



OfF^Dts 



W£W LIKE HE^VIS^. ^ 

Tlbe fe»ffiii season iss sndi qmi^ d^^atdi 

A lo^ ixB^octafif^ lo "fljfe act Trincii Isd 

Tbe IPiMiiior^ Cbnrdi Id diCKse ixi& ^gd- ite 



J^o ■i3fl&£a' ChaaeA ^ai <eat Commniiiuii ^knr. 

"He HMw^ wsB a fiigltf as jei nnseeit ; 

A fiHias #16 sBOMi^ms h& Lad i^sv^sr Ijubh. 

^o cisrgjmem ^was Jaesac, las sad Id ^kmd. — 

On ne sham ^le servieB anrat dsgiezid. 

Heaee & &e Oqh^Ib fsaiifi, nmcL luor^ than 



Tb& dim II II ilimaiiMiiil wldii (lii In ii( femgiL 



ET 



T^ i^w^gr of n^ jinHfeawaB Ibafl 

I:. ^ of a^ ^i^^-; ^itBS ^ ji^d 

-L in the le^ feOd ; 

^~ : 'iwas eertarri I Tonst feaL 

IT:^ . ^ -z- -^31 and urosiiBniiK 

Jh. and in t!hp Tmrmth of Mar 
Mj 11 ^n game to lax 

Tl- "_- -- 1^ : - TilfaTlTH^.fi. 



90 THE BISHOP'S VISITATION. 

The first attempt throughout our country known, 
Which had that style of architecture shown. 
The congregation rapidly increased, 
And in the following year we had a feast 
Of pure enjoyment, when the Bishop came 
To consecrate our Church, and grant the claim 
Of full one hundred forty-three to pay 
Their vows in Confirmation on that day. 
The venerable prelate, Bishop White, 
And Reverend Jackson Kemper, hailed the sight, 
So far beyond what the most sanguine mind 
Could hope so soon in our new field to find ; 
While I, with feelings words cannot express. 
Thanked God who thus my work had deigned to 
bless. 

Our dwelling still continued on the lot 
Of ten fair acres. 'T was a lovely spot. 
Where I had built a modest house of frame, 
Planted an orchard of the choicest name. 
Set out a garden, and, to guard the ground, 
Made a young hedge of evergreen around. 
Three other lots I bought, of equal size, 
Which proved to be a most important prize ; 
For they were offered at so little cost 
That in the purchase nothing could be lost, 
And in few years the value rose so high. 
That by their sale I could the means supply 



I 



A SCHOOL BEGUN. 91 

To pay my partner's heirs that heavy debt. 

Their generous faith, which I can ne'er forget, 

Made this a grateful duty, in the hour 

When the good Lord thus placed it in my power. 

And 't was a duty done with praise to Heaven, 

Whose Providence the privilege had given 

With much less toil and in less time by far 

Than if I had continued at the bar : — 

A proof how surely sacrifices, made 

With love to Christ, are even here o'erpaid ; 

While blessings manifold are granted still, 

To those who humbly strive to do His will ! 

But I, meanwhile, before this point was gained, 

Commenced a school by which I was sustained : 

For though my rector's salary had grown 

To full twelve hundred dollars, yet 't was known 

That this could not accomplish the design 

To feed and clothe a family like mine. 

My precious wife had added to our stock 

Two children more. It was a growing flock. 

And we embraced the offer of a friend, 

Six little girls without delay to send 

For education, with our own to live, 

And share the home instruction we could give. 

The school which thus so quietly begun. 
Was destined soon a prosperous course to run. 



92 SEVEN YEARS' LABOR. 

My buildings were enlarged. A separate band 

Of boys were placed beneath my ruling hand. 

A student of Theology became 

Their teacher ; and a young but steady dame, 

Accustomed to the task, performed her share. 

For all the girls committed to my care. 

Two schools distinct in each department grew 

From this beginning. 'T was an effort new, 

And brought of daily toil a heavy load ; 

Yet both were favored by the love of God. 

We had our little Oratory there, 

With organ, kept for morn and evening prayer ; 

Once in each week, with all my care and skill, 

I taught my schools to know their Saviour's wiU ; 

And had the blessed office to impart 

His living faith to many a youthful heart ! 

Seven years of happy labor thus were spent, 

With rich results of comfort and content. 

The burden of such varied, busy life, 

At times bore hardly on my faithful wife ; 

Our toil was unremitting and severe. 

But order, peace, and love were round us there ! 

Yet though my time was thus absorbed, I found 
The means to plant the Church on other ground. 
Seven parishes were organized, and gained 



N£:W PARISHES FOUNDED. 



93 



A foothold which has since been well sustained ; 
And seven young candidates around me came, 
Moved to assume the ministerial name. 
With zealous will they studied at my side, 
And I was happy to be called their guide. 




Canto (Cig]^t]^. 




jlOON after my new course was well 
begun, 
I saw, with pain, how party lines had 
run 
Amongst my brethren, tending to divide 
Good faithful clergymen on either side. 
High Church and Low contended with a zeal 
Of strong repulsion which I could not feel, 
For I expected in the Church to prove 
Naught but fraternal unity and love. 



But both the parties were disposed to be 

Quite cordial in their intercourse with me. 

Low Churchmen were weU satisfied to find 

My mode of preaching suited to their mind. 

High Churchmen were contented when they saw 

That I was true to order and to law. 

My vows of ordination bound me still 

In fair obedience to my Bishop's will. 

I had a great advantage in the war 

Of words, from my long training at the bar. 



THE ASSISTANT BISHOPRIC. 95 

This, with the lawyers, gave a special claim. 
And thus a general favorite I became ; 
For, still desirous that all strife should cease, 
I used my powers for concord and for peace. 

The venerated Bishop White had now, 
Beneath his eighty years, begun to bow, 
And asked for an Assistant, who might bear 
Of active work the more laborious share. 
This measure roused the fire of party zeal, 
"With which no moderate man could wisely deal. 
But the Convention failed to make a choice ; 
The votes were balanced with an equal voice: 
And then my High- Church brethren turned to 

me, 
Resolved that I their candidate should be. 

This notion struck my mind with great surprise. 
The office of a Bishop, in my eyes. 
Required experience, knowledge, skill to teach, 
In a degree which I might never reach. 
I was a novice ; scarce had passed away 
Three busy years since that most solemn day 
When I received the priesthood. How could I 
The work of the Episcopate supply ? 

Our next Convention season now drew near, 
Which called us all in order to appear. 



96 



DR. ONDERDONK NOMINATED. 



My friends in caucus met : the work began, 
By casting ballots for their favorite man ; 
And I had all the votes save three alone, 
Elected thus to be the chosen one. 
Nothing was wanting but my own consent. 
And that I could not give. With frank intent, 
I told my brethren why I did not deem 
That such a choice would wise or prudent 

seem, 
But pledged my vote for any other name 
Which their support and Bishop White's could 

claim ; 
Since I the clergy had too little known. 
To have a settled judgment of my own. 



On this I left the meeting, with my breast 
Most deeply by this proof of love impressed. 
When I retired, it was resolved, at length, 
For Doctor Onderdonk to use their strength. 
Meanwhile, my Low- Church brethren too bad 

met. 
And chose no candidate. But they were set, 
With their united efforts to oppose 
The person whom the other party chose ; 
And on the morrow, when the House agreed 
That the election should at once proceed, 
They pleaded zealously, with all their power, 
For a recess, if only for an hour. 



A CONFERENCE REFUSED. 97 

That, after friendly conference, they might 
Choose one in whom both parties could unite. 

During the progress of this strange dispute 
I sat apart, much moved, but wholly mute ; 
Though several brethren from the Low- Church 

side 
Came round, and for my help with warmth 

applied. 
" Get us this conference," they said, " and you 
Will be our Bishop." I replied, " 'T is due. 
On every principle of Christian love 
And Christian courtesy. If you could prove 
That my election was not in your mind, 
I should at once be to the task inclined. 
But now the very reason you declare 
Compels me to be silent. To the care 
Of such high office I do not aspire ; 
I am not fit, nor should I dare desire 
In that result to bear the slightest part. 
Though for your wish I thank you from my 

heart." 

The plea for conference was all in vain. 

The High-Church party firmly held the rein. 

They had a bare majority of one 

Among the clergy, hence my vote alone 

Elected Doctor Onderdonk. But lo ! 
7 



98 CALL TO NEW YORK. 

The other party were resolved to show 

That in my favor they had really striven, 

Since for my name full seventeen votes were 

given ! 
The record thus presents a curious state ; 
For I appear the Low- Church candidate, 
Though chosen in caucus by the High- Church 

side 
Till I, in conscience, my consent denied. 
The office was entirely in my powei'. 
And I feel humbly grateful, to this hour. 
That I was strengthened, by the grace divine, 
A charge so grave and weighty to decline. 

Soon after this event, an offer came, 
Commended by good Bishop Hobart's name, 
In great New York, the rector to become 
Of old St. Stephen's. To my cherished home 
A special member of the Vestry brought 
The formal call, and I was much besought. 
In many letters, to accept the post ; 
But I declined it, though I had a host 
Of friends amongst the clergy, good and true. 
With much kind favor from the Bishop too, — 
That generous-hearted prelate, who had gained 
A wide-spread influence, by few attained. 

The Presbyterians, that important sect, — 



SEMINARY PLAN. 99 

In Pittsburgh held so long in high respect, — 

Had now, to strengthen their religious rule, 

Resolved to build a Theologic school ; 

And I, with thought and prayer, at once began 

To form a fair and practicable plan, 

Which might, on a foundation firm and sure, 

For our dear Church a like result secure. 

With this intent I set apart a lot 

Of full three acres, a commanding spot, 

O'erlooking the Ohio, near the road, 

Precisely opposite to my abode. 

This, estimated by a standard fair, 

Would make three thousand dollars for my share. 

Two thousand more were promised by a few, 

Who were persuaded to adopt my view ; 

And no one doubted of a prosperous end. 

If the Convention would the plan commend. 

Before that body the design was laid. 
And, judging by the kindly speeches made. 
They would at once have with my offer closed. 
But Bishop Onderdonk was quite opposed. 
He thought the Seminary at New York 
Was all suflScient for the Church's work. 
And though they voted to commit the case 
To the next meeting, yet, to run a race 
Against my Bishop's judgment, seemed to me 
A course with which my mind could not agree ; 

LifC. 



100 CALL TO BOSTON. 

My hopes were thus effectually crossed, 
And I regarded all this labor lost. 

The Church of Trinity, in Boston, next 

Gave me an urgent call, which much perplexed 

My Vestry, for they now began to fear 

That my departure must be drawing near. 

With warmth they begged me promptly to decline ; 

And this I did, for I had no design 

To leave my cherished parish ere the day 

"When duty's voice should summon me away. 

The Rector of that church in Boston, then, 

Was one beyond the average of men. 

Distinguished by his talents and his fame. 

The Reverend Mr. Doane. The call which came 

Was to be his assistant ; but 't was placed 

On a peculiar fund, and fitly graced 

By a much larger salary. His zeal 

To have my aid persuaded me to feel 

That there was more than common in the field. 

And made me sometimes half inclined to yield. 

He wrote in answer, warmly to request 

That I would visit him, and take my rest 

At least two Sundays, even if my will 

To stay in Pittsburgh should continue still. 

My Vestry thought it right that I should go. 

This act of kindly courtesy to show ; 



VISIT TO BOSTON. 101 

While neither they nor I could apprehend 
The undesired and unexpected end. 

Arrived in Boston, at the Rector's home, 

I found that I had now in truth become 

A sort of lion, feasted and caressed, 

With all the welcome that could be expressed. 

But chiefly, in our private talks alone. 

The need of aid to lower the proud tone 

Of Unitarian heresy, was held 

Before my eyes, by honest warmth impelled : 

For this was there supreme, and chained the mind 

Of the best educated and refined. 

Channing still lived, and with his winning art 

Dazzled the intellect and charmed the heart ; 

And if I would the Church's banner bear. 

Where most 't was needed, I should labor there. 

My Seminary scheme he next discussed, 

And said, that, if to him I would intrust 

The office, he would carry out my plan 

For Massachusetts. In no other man 

Were both the parties willing to unite ; 

But High and Low believed my course was right. 

Both would have made me Bishop if they could, 

And both would aid me in a work so good. 

'T was true the post to which I had the call 

Appeared subordinate, but that was all. 



102 THEOLOGICAL SCHOOL. 

In point of fact, as could be clearly shown, 
It was as independent as his own. 
The salary was larger, and the task 
Which he and the proprietors would ask 
Should be to half the public service tied ; 
The prayer and preaching we should both divide. 
No parish labor would be claimed from me. 
And through the week-days I should thus be 

free 
The duties of Professor to fulfil, 
And guide the Seminary at my will. 

These views, with kind and cordial warmth ex- 
pressed. 
Made a profound impression on my breast. 
Nor did the friendly Rector fail to claim 
That many other brethren held the same. 
For soon he had a sumptuous banquet set, 
Where I, the Bishop, and the Clergy met ; 
And all I heard contributed its share 
My mind for this new movement to prepare. 

But here it may be useful to explain 

The course that led my wishes to attain 

The founding of a Theologic school, 

Conducted on the old patristic rule. 

Where students might be trained in all the lore 

Which our Reformers mastered long before, 



FATHER McGUIRE. 103 

Instead of wandering, full oft astray, 

In modern Germany's delusive way, 

And treating with neglect each weighty tome 

Which bears upon the Church's strife with Rome. 

At Pittsburgh, in those days, there chanced to be 

A good Benevolent Society, 

Composed of native Irishmen, whose aim 

Was to assist the emigrants that came 

To seek a refuge in our prosperous land, 

And give them, in their need, a helping hand. 

During the period when I practised law 

I was their President, and often saw 

The Roman priest, who, once a year at least. 

Made his appearance at St. Patrick's feast, — 

An Irishman of talent, growing gray, 

But learned and eloquent, and sometimes gay. 

When my career of law was fully run, 

And ministerial work had well begun, 

I thought that I would undertake a course 

Of sermons on our Articles. The force 

Of all our writers' arguments I knew. 

And doubted not that they were just and true. 

But now the legal rule occurred to me, 

" Hear both the parties first, and then decree." 

And I resolved the rule should be applied 

By careful reading on the Romish side. 



104 THE ROMISH CONTROVERSY. 

Father McGuire forthwith I went to find, 

And quickly made him understand my mind. 

He hailed my resolution with delight. 

Perhaps I seemed a convert in his sight. 

If so, it proved to be a slight mistake ! 

But he proceeded instantly to make 

A good selection of nine quartos rare, 

Composed by Jesuits, in Latin fair, — 

A series of authorities as high 

As any work in Europe could supply 

Upon the controversy. These, he said, 

I might take home, and at my leisure tread ' 

The path of Theologic truth and light. 

With hope that I would firmly choose the right. 

Thanking the kind old priest, I went my way, 

And entered on my task without delay. 

I found the Fathers quoted on their side, 
And with much ingenuity applied, 
The forms of logic used with skilful art. 
While Scripture bore at times an honored part. 
But from my habits in the school of law 
I saw, with ease, full many a serious flaw. 
And all that gave me trouble was to find 
The seeming judgment of the Fathers' mind. 
This led me to conclude that I must try 
To read them for myself, and thus supply 
A certain method to attain my end, 
To combat error and the truth defend. 



READING TEE FATHERS. 105 

The work of Irenseus chanced to be 
For sale. At once I bought it, glad to see 
What from that martyr Bishop forth had gone, 
In seventy years from the Apostle John. 
With special joy I read the ancient page, 
Which proved, that, in his pure and early age, 
The Church knew nothing of the papal plan. 
Whose lordly claims long afterwards began, 
But made, throughout, the rule of faith accord 
With the sole doctrine of the written Word ! 

Tertullian next, and Cyprian, I found 
In Philadelphia. The patristic round 
Was hot completed, till, from year to year, 
I had imported seventy volumes clear ; 
Besides the Councils, Histories, Decrees, — 
All proving through what changes, by degrees. 
The Church of Rome had gained her mighty 

sway. 
Resolved by fraud or force to win the day. 

But from the first those studies had impressed 

A deep and strong desire upon my breast 

To found a school where this patristic lore 

Should be regarded as the proper store 

From which our clergy might well armed become 

In all their conflicts with the Church of Rome. 

My plan for Pennsylvania was foreclosed, 



106 ROME IN AMERICA. 

For Bishop Onderdonk stood there opposed. 
And hence, when Massachusetts seemed inclined 
To do the work according to my mind, 
It looked to me as if the favoring hand 
Of Providence had pointed out the land 
Where I could labor with the fullest scope 
For all my industry, in faith and hope. 
I saw that then, throughout the Church at large, 
No man had ta'en this serious task in charge. 
The controversies warmly carried on 
Were with the sects of Protestants alone ; 
While the great controversy, on whose ground 
Our right to Reformation could be found. 
Appeared so settled, that no thought nor care 
Was needed for that conflict to prepare. 
And yet the power of Rome was growing fast. 
For shoals of Roman Catholics were cast 
From Europe, year by year, upon our shore, 
As time went on, increasing more and more. 
The day was coming when that Church would 

stand, 
A proud and potent agent in our land. 
The Reformation battle, in my view, 
We might be shortly called on to renew ; 
And I, for one, would gird me for the fight, 
Prepared to prove our English martyrs right. 
And hence I longed for the Professor's name. 
That others might be trained to do the same. 



f?? 



CALL TO BOSTON ACCEPTED. 107 

This duty, which had long possessed my mind, 

Now made me feel to Boston much inclined. 

Although it would remove me far away 

From Pittsburgh, where my warm affections lay 

Although no other home could e'er impart 

Such feelings of attachment to my heart ; 

Although I knew the change would sorely grieve 

The host of partial friends whom I must leave, 

And be a source of sorrow to that wife 

Who was the dearest treasure of my life : 

Yet duty to the Master whom I served 

My resolution to the effort nerved. 

'T was but a little sacrifice to make 

To Him who died for His dear Church's sake ! 

I told the cordial Rector, ere I went, 

That I to take his offer was content, 

If their Convention, which was soon to meet. 

His plan by their full sanction should complete : 

And so proceeded to my much-loved home, 

Destined, ere long, another's to become, 

"With my dear partner talked the matter o'er, 

And found her ever ready, as of yore, 

To yield her feelings, hopefully resigned, 

In faithful concord with her husband's mind. 

The letter came full soon. The work was done ! 
The Rector's triumph was completely won ! 



108 LEAVING PITTSBURGH. 

The vote of the Convention fixed the plan, 
And now my painful task of change began. 
My resignation of the parish proved 
How well and deeply I had been beloved ! 
My scholars were disbanded, all around 
The voice of grief and sad regret I found. 
My wife's dear family were sore distressed. 
Her precious sister's heart was most oppressed ; 
For she with us had long possessed a home, 
And her society had thus become 
A cherished feature, felt with kindly force 
Throughout the circle of our wedded course. 
Her Christian temper, and her constant aim 
To serve and profit all who near her came, 
Made her a treasure ! But she could not stay, 
And leave her honored parents far away. 
For they were aged, and had none beside 
By whom a daughter's care could be supplied. 
With her the parting had most bitter been ; 
Two sisters so attached were rarely seen ! 

At length 't was settled. House and goods were 

sold. 
And I left Pittsburgh, rich enough in gold, 
More rich in family and cordial love ! 
A brighter lot few mortal men could prove. 
But 't was a sacrifice of feeling deep, 
And strong emotion would full often sweep 



SORROWS OF PARTING. 109 

Across our breasts, when we surveyed the ground, 
Where we such labors and such joys had found. 
Eight children now our married life had graced : 
One lovely boy was in the church-yard placed ; 
The rest went with us to our new abode. 
And on them all the hand of God bestowed 
A well-formed body and an active mind, 
Which seemed to duty and to truth inclined. 
And we had left of friends a cordial band, 
A residence erected by my hand, 
Orchard and gardens planted by my care, 
And, above all, that precious House of Prayer, 
Built in accordance with my own design. 
Where I, for years, had preached the Word divine, 
And furnished all the music for the choir, — 
Chants, anthems, psalms, and hymns, at the desire 
Of Organist and Vestry, while the roll 
Which came beneath my pastoral control 
In faith to share the Eucharistic feast 
From thirty-seven to hundreds had increased ! 

And could we leave them all without a thrill 
Of pain and sorrow ? Could I hope to fill 
Another phase of ministerial life 
So rich in honor, so exempt from strife ? 
Could other friends, howe'er disposed, impart 
Such cordial love and comfort to my heart ? 
Alas ! 't was more than doubtful. But the Lord 



no 



TRUST IN GOD. 



Would still direct me by His sovereign Word ; 
His grace and truth would guide my future way, 
Nor suffer me or mine to go astray. 
Looking to Him all doubt should disappear : 
Trusting in Him, what danger could I fear ? 




II 




Canto ^int^. 




UR. tedious and expensive journey past, 
We came to Boston safe and well at 
last. 

Our welcome there was gracious, warm, and kind. 
I bought a house near Cambridge, to our mind, 
By no means equal to our former home, 
And yet a dwelling which might well become 
Our new position. Here six students met ; 
And I, as their Professor, duly set 
Their lessons in Theology. The rest 
Was undertaken, with a cordial zest, 
By Doctors Coit and Eaton, men of note, 
And joint Professors by a formal vote. 
Thus the good work, so long desired by me, 
With prospects fair commenced now seemed to be. 



As preacher I could ask no higher place. 
The favor of my friends advanced apace : 
My services were sought for, far and near. 
And everything concurred my heart to cheer. 
But time was ripening for a new display. 
Which took me from my Boston friends away. 



112 



VERMONT. 



The Eastern diocese had ta'en its stand 

Under the pious Bishop Griswold's hand, 

For twenty years uniting as a whole, 

To share his wise Episcopal control. 

The churches in Vermont, New Hampshire, 

Maine, 
Rhode Island, Massachusetts, formed a chain 
Of mutual connection, while the name 
Of diocese in each remained the same, 
And each convened in every year to send 
Its delegates the Council to attend. 

It was in eighteen hundred thirty-one, 

The month July, when my new work begun ; 

And in September they assembled all, 

In prompt compliance with the annual call. 

'T was then Vermont her application set 

Before the body in Convention met. 

That, as she had in strength and numbers grown, 

She might elect a Bishop of her own ; 

She asked permission therefore to withdraw. 

In due obedience to the Church's law. 



To thwart this application none were bent ; 
At once they granted it with full consent. 
And in the month of May Vermont went on 
To choose her Bishop. Reverend Doctor Stone 
Was named by brethren on the Low- Church side ; 



ELECTED BISHOP. 113 

The other party all their zeal applied 

To have that sacred office filled by me. 

And triumphed by a bare majority. 

In fact, the forces were so nearly even, 

The ballots showed a vote of six to seven ; 

But the minority, with Christian grace. 

Agreed to give me my appointed place. 

By letter they united in the call, 

And signed the testimonials one and all ; 

Thus seeming quite unanimous to prove 

That they would welcome me with zeal and love. 

This new announcement could not fail to throw 

My mind in much perplexity. To go 

From Boston, where the Lord had deigned to 

bless 
My humble labors with so much success ; 
To leave a circle of admiring friends, 
For doubtful prospects and uncertain ends ; 
My home just settled to break up again, 
With toil and trouble, not unmixed with pain. 
And put my future efforts in a shape 
From which, through life, I could have no escape : 
All this was most distasteful. My desire 
Did not to the Episcopate aspire. 
Though I the office could most highly prize, 
It had no strong attraction in my eyes. 
Its ancient powers no longer were sustained, 



114 



ADVICE OF FRIENDS. 



While its responsibilities remained ; 

And I would rather see its mantle thrown 

On any other shoulders than my own. 

But yet the path of duty must be trod. 
Was this to be esteemed a call from God ? 
If so, I must obey it. To decide 
That point, my efforts now were all applied. 
With constant prayer for guidance I would sound 
The judgment of my brethren all around. 
And thus with time and caution I would try 
Some light for my decision to supply. 



I found that all my friends were strongly set 

Against Vermont. But still the case was met 

On personal motives, flattering to my fame, 

And quite regardless of the Church's claim. 

My talents, they were pleased to say, would be 

Quite buried in Vermont society ; 

I ought to have a larger, better field. 

Than any the Green Mountain State could yield. 

If I remained, my prospects would be sure, 

A far superior mitre to secure. 

Good Bishop Griswold now was growing old ; 

The time was coming when they would be told 

To give him an Assistant ; then should I 

Be chosen the sacred office to supply ! 

By this I saw, should I refuse the call, 



TEE RECTORS COURSE. 115 

It would be deemed ambition by them all, — 

A laudable ambition in their view, 

Yet such as no true Christian should pursue. 

Such counsels had the contrary effect ; 

I would not give them reason to suspect 

That motives of mere vanity and pride 

Could be admitted my resolve to guide, 

And hence their mode of argument, though kind, 

Made me to serve Vermont feel more inclined. 

The Vestry of old Trinity had seat 
A fair committee, who their eiSPorts spent 
With cordial zeal to keep me as their own ; 
The Vestry of St. Paul's had also shown 
A strong desire that I should not depart ; 
And many a tongue, inspired by friendly heart, 
Gave touching evidence each day to prove 
How high I stood in their esteem and love. 
And most devoutly thankful did I feel 
For all those marks of kindliness and zeal ! 

But the good Rector took the other side, 
And thought the call ought not to be denied. 
In my own mind the founding of the school, 
Which in the previous year had formed the rule 
To lead me from my cherished Pittsburgh home. 
Might well a valid reason now become 
For my refusal. But in this I found 



116 



TOUR IN VERMONT. 



My hopes had rested on no solid ground. 

'T was clear the school was raised to bring me 

there, 
While for the thing itself none seemed to care. 
And when the Annual Convention met, 
And silence on its claims the seal had set, 
I saw the influence of his master-mind 
Had to his views ray brethren well inclined. 
The Board of Trustees were required to lay 
Their full report, on the Convention day, 
Before the House. But this they had not done ; 
The school was looked upon as dead and gone ! 
Then I determined, without more delay, 
To see Vermont, and after that survey 
Make my resolve, which should conclusive be, 
And put an end to all uncertainty. 



I 



I took my tour with pleasure, side by side 
With that most zealous friend, who had supplied, 
For years, the church at Bellows Falls, — the 

same 
Who bears the Bishop of New Hampshire's name. 
A charming country met my artist eye ; 
Its fair Green Mountains raised their summits 

high. 
Its lovely vales in summer's wealth arrayed, 
Its shining lakelets and its forest shade. 
Its prosperous villages, its schools well filled 



TEE EPISCOPATE ACCEPTED. 117 

With pupils in the common branches skilled, 
"While large academies, with just display. 
For two good Colleges prepared the way ; 
Its men intelligent, its women fair, 
Adorned full oft with grace and beauty rare ; 
No quarter of the land that I had seen 
Could to my task have more adapted been. 
And I could answer for my precious wife, 
That she had parted long from city life, 
And for our children's sake, if not our own, 
Preferred by far the country to the town. 
Here, then, if I accepted, we might trace 
The most attractive forms of Nature's face, 
Nor could we hope elsewhere a home to gain 
More fair than Burlington, on Lake Champlain ! 

Soon after I returned, my answer went 
Accepting the appointment. Then I sent 
My resignation of the office held 
In Trinity, as I should be compelled 
To leave them in October, for the soil 
Where Providence had fixed my future toil. 

Much indignation and regret were shown 
When my determination was made known. 
The Rector had the largest share of blame. 
And censure's tongue with zeal denounced his 
name ; 



118 



CONSECRATION. 



Because I would have willingly refused 
The Bishopric, if he had only used 
His power the Seminary to sustain, 
And me as its Professor to retain. 
Many severe and foolish things were said, 
To heap reproach and fault upon his head. 
But yet I doubt not that he was sincere ; 
The course of duty to his mind was clear ; 
And though it gave some sorrow to my breast, 
'T was well, and wisely ordered for the best. 

A new event, however, was at hand, 
For he was called before the Church to stand 
Elected Bishop of New Jersey. Strange 
That Trinity should thus be forced to change 
Both of her ministers, and see them take 
The same high office for the Saviour's sake ! 



The General Convention now was due, 

October, eighteen hundred thirty-two. 

In old St. Paul's, New York. It was a sight, 

"When four new Bishops stood to claim the rite 

Of consecration. First elect, my name 

Was first admitted. Then Kentucky came ; 

Ohio third ; and last, the list to close. 

New Jersey's chosen candidate arose. 

The aged Bishop White his hands had laid, 

For the third time, on my unworthy head ! 



FIRST VISITATION. 119 

My own emotion I remember well, 

But 't was a feeling which no tongue can tell ; 

Nor could the power of rhetoric impart 

The awe and gratitude which filled my heart, 

That I, so early, should be called to prove 

Such weighty office through my Master's love ! 

My duty, next, was to prepare the way, 
And seek my diocese without delay. 

My wife's good father, in a ripe old age. 

With Christian hope had left this earthly stage. 

Her mother and her sister came to be 

The cherished inmates of our family. 

Another son was added to our stock. 

And two young pupils still increased our flock. 

Fourteen in all were thus to take the road 

Which led to Burlington, our new abode. 

A coach was chartered for our use alone, 

And in November all that work was done. 

St. Paul's new Church had just erected been, 

And I was Rector. 'T was a novel scene. 

In which, though toil and trouble had their share, 

We proved the blessing of our Saviour's care. 

My tour of visitation I went round. 

A cordial welcome everywhere I found ; 

My future looked so hopeful, sooth to say, 



120 CHEERING PROSPECTS. 

It seemed the dawning of a cloudless day ; 
And if the Lord could e'er such lot design 
For man on earth, I might have thought it mine. 
But He, supreme in wisdom as in love, 
Foresees the perils which His saints must prove, 
If tribulation from His sovereign hand. 
In mercy and unerring judgment planned, 
"Were not appointed, safely to control. 
By patient suffering, every faithful soul ! 
Through this alone, the grace to pray is given, 
" Thy will be done on earth, as 't is in Heaven." 
Through this alone, conviction must descend, 
That we for all things on His power depend. 
Through this we learn to know our Father's rod, 
And bow submissive to the hand of God ; 
Assured that sins and woes at last shall cease, 
In His bright world of purity and peace. 

And here I pause ; although perhaps I may 
Resume my labor at some future day. 
The years of my Episcopate have been 
Full thirty-three, in which the Church has seen 
A fair increase, though much of my own life 
Has passed in toil, not always free from strife. 
My work of authorship, which soon began. 
Through many books of controversy ran. 
Domestic joys and sorrows had their part. 
At times to cheer, at times depress my heart. 



CONCLUSION. 121 

And yet I knew on whom to cast my care ; 
In each event the Saviour's hand was there ! 
I would not choose, in all the varied range, 
Had T the right, my personal lot to change ; 
For though mysterious oft, the whole design, 
I humbly trust, was marked by love divine. 

And now, the grateful subject of His power, 
So blessed in this, my Golden "Wedding hour. 
What other supplication can arise 
To Him, the Ruler of the earth and skies, 
Than this : that He, whose gracious hand has 

shed 
Such favors on my own unworthy head, 
May guide the little period that remains, 
To the last end of mortal cares and pains ; 
Write in His Book of Life each precious name 
Which in my heart's affections holds its claim ; 
Teach every humble soul in faith to prove 
The wondrous treasure of the Saviour's love ; 
And bring them all, by grace in mercy given. 
With glorious triumph to His home in Heaven ! 




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